Ahead of Apple’s presumed iOS 7 launch at the next month’s iPhone 5S launch event, it seems that the company is asking app developers to submit larger, iOS 7 optimized app icons. As 9to5Mac notes, the Home screen icons have been slightly enlarged in iOS 7 as compared to the iOS 6 icons. App icons which have not been optimized for iOS 7, have a small white border not found in Apple’s stock icons (see Spotify icon below).
Developers are therefore required to include larger icons in their applications. iOS 6 icons on the iPhone have 114 x 114 pixel resolution, while iOS 7 icons are slightly larger at 120 x 120 pixel resolution. Similarly for the iPad, iOS 6 icons are at resolution of 144 x 144, and on iOS 7 they come in at a resolution of 152 x 152. Below is Apple’s email to a developer telling them they have incorrectly submitted smaller app icons, and now need to submit larger icons optimized for iOS 7.
While Apple does not explicitly mention iOS 7 in the email, the resolutions match iOS 7’s requirements. It shouldn’t be long before Apple makes this a mandatory requirement for new app submissions.
