From 580456ec7edeb94c41bfc899e2466bbec281d37e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Wesley Moore Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2011 07:58:29 +1100 Subject: [PATCH] Add ios-launch-image-is-not-a-splashscreen --- ...os-launch-image-is-not-a-splashscreen.html | 59 +++++++++++++++++++ ...os-launch-image-is-not-a-splashscreen.yaml | 14 +++++ 2 files changed, 73 insertions(+) create mode 100644 content/technical/2011/12/ios-launch-image-is-not-a-splashscreen.html create mode 100644 content/technical/2011/12/ios-launch-image-is-not-a-splashscreen.yaml diff --git a/content/technical/2011/12/ios-launch-image-is-not-a-splashscreen.html b/content/technical/2011/12/ios-launch-image-is-not-a-splashscreen.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5e96504 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/technical/2011/12/ios-launch-image-is-not-a-splashscreen.html @@ -0,0 +1,59 @@ +At work we're currently having an iOS app that I'm working on styled +by a designer. The second screen we were supplied was a pretty splash +screen with a big logo on it. We responded saying that we didn't want to +use Default.png like that. Our designer responded saying that was fine +but most clients were after TODO so he does one by default. This is +silly as it is not the intended use for the launch image. + +Justin Williams recently had the following to say on the topic of splash +screens in his [On Magazines and the iPad][carpeaqua] article (emphasis +from the article): + +> Remember, kids. The first rule of mobile development is that *no one +> gives a fuck about your brand*. A splash screen with a giant logo +> is something that makes editors and marketing directors feel good, +> but to a user it just feels like a meaningless delay. You know that +> feeling of frustration you get each time there’s a 15-second preroll +> before a video on the web? That’s what a splash screen with logos and +> advertisements is. + +[carpeaqua]: http://carpeaqua.com/2011/12/04/on-magazines-and-the-ipad/ + +The Apple [iOS Human Interface Guidelines][MobileHIG] include the +following suggestions: + +> Avoid taking space away from the content people care about. For +> example, displaying a second, persistent bar at the top of the screen +> that does nothing but display branding assets means that there’s less +> room for content. Consider other, less intrusive ways to display +> pervasive branding, such as subtly customizing the background of a +> screen. + +> Display a launch image that closely resembles the first screen of the +> application. This practice decreases the perceived launch time of your +> application. + +> Avoid displaying an About window or a splash screen. In general, try +> to avoid providing any type of startup experience that prevents people +> from using your application immediately. + +> Supply a launch image to improve user experience. +> +> Avoid using your launch image as an opportunity to provide: +> +> * An "application entry experience," such as a splash screen +> * An About window +> * Branding elements, unless they are a static part of your +> application’s first screen +> +> Because users are likely to switch among applications frequently, you +> should make every effort to cut launch time to a minimum, and you +> should design a launch image that downplays the experience rather than +> drawing attention to it. + +[MobileHIG]: http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/MobileHIG/MobileHIG.pdf + +The launch image is designed to make the percieved launch time of you app +feel faster by showing something resembling the interface that will be loaded +as quickly as possible. Displaying a logo does nothing but draw attention +to how quickly your app loads and adds nothing to the user's experience. diff --git a/content/technical/2011/12/ios-launch-image-is-not-a-splashscreen.yaml b/content/technical/2011/12/ios-launch-image-is-not-a-splashscreen.yaml new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a1ce8c6 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/technical/2011/12/ios-launch-image-is-not-a-splashscreen.yaml @@ -0,0 +1,14 @@ +--- +title: The iOS Launch Image is Not a Splash Screen +extra: Reasons why the lanuch image in iOS apps is not intended to be a splash screen with your pretty logo on it. +kind: article +section: technical +created_at: 2011-12-08 07:29:00 +keywords: +- ios +- iphone +- ipad +- splash +- screen +- launch +- image