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[sevenlayermuddle]

Posted in Apple, but corresponding comments from Android users also appreciated.   Posing these questions in my occasional role as an anonymous App developer (games and puzzles).   For an App that works on both iPhone and iPad...

...If it works nicely landscape on an iPad, do you still want it to work portrait too?

...And vice versa for iPhone - if it works nicely portrait is that sufficient, or do you like to have the landscape option too?

Just curious as, whilst it is quite easy to detect orientation and auto rotate, crudely adjusting layout, the awkward aspect ratios make it hard to do so in a pleasing and useful way.   Life can be easier if I just design a ‘pretty’ portrait layout for iPhone and refuse to rotate, and a different ‘pretty’ landscape layout for iPad.

[d2d4j]

Hi 7lm

Personally for me, I tend to rotate a mobile/iPad screen to gain easier reading of information

I do not play games on phones/iPad  so if that’s what you develop then ignore my comment

If it’s technical then I need to clearly read and some are very small

Many thanks

John

[roseway]

I'm with John on this. I use reading glasses when I'm reading at home, but I don't carry them around with me, so it's very helpful with small text on the phone, if I can rotate it into landscape mode.

[sevenlayermuddle]

Thanks, that comment is indeed relevant.  In my case it is not just reading of text, it is consuming detail of on screen graphics,  but same principle/compromise applies.

I guess I’m suggesting that providing the necessary information is easy to see on each device (by adopting an appropriate device-specific layout), is it fair to assume that portrait is always adequate on a phone, and landscape always adequate on a tablet?

[burakkucat]

I guess I’m suggesting that providing the necessary information is easy to see on each device (by adopting an appropriate device-specific layout), is it fair to assume that portrait is always adequate on a phone, and landscape always adequate on a tablet?

As neither a user, nor owner, of such devices perhaps my answer, "Yes", to your above question should not carry too much weight. 

[jelv]

I find some graphics are too small when automatically zoomed to screen width in portrait mode so rotate the screen to landscape. Could you post a mock up of the sort of graphic so we can assess and comment?

[sevenlayermuddle]

I find some graphics are too small when automatically zoomed to screen width in portrait mode so rotate the screen to landscape. Could you post a mock up of the sort of graphic so we can assess and comment?

Sorry, but my motivation in starting this thread was to reduce my workload.

Therefor, before responding to above, to avoid contradicting that ambition, can I clarify who is/are ‘we’?

[Ronski]

For reading websites I always rotate my phone to landscape,as it makes it easier to see, and the content generally fits better, most apps I use in portrait mode. My tablet is always used landscape, don't think I ever use it in portrait, although I did when I used to game on it. It is extremely annoying when a app doesn't auto rotate, or not quickly enough.

My eyesight is a lot worse these days and I have to use glasses when using my phone or tablet, I know some people that just increase the font size though. Sometimes I find some apps or websites where the choice of colours makes it difficult to see.

[sevenlayermuddle]

Thanks guys, I’m still not sure I’m explaining this right.

With an App like a browser, preference for portrait/landscape depends on the website being viewed so such Apps will support both and the user will rotate as appropriate.

At the other extreme, the ‘phone App’ itself, with the dialling number pad, is clearly optimised for portrait and I suspect everybody is happy with that.   But the phone App is a bit special because it also has to suit the physical layout of microphone and speaker.

So, providing an iPhone App can be clearly optimised for portrait with absolutely no compromises, are people happy to be forced to use it that way?   Or will you  sometimes want to use landscape for that App even though it doesn’t work so well, just because you like holding the phone sideways?

[licquorice]

I must admit I find it very unintuitive to use my phone in landscape mode and invariably always use it in portrait mode for everything except for perhaps viewing pictures taken in landscape.

[d2d4j]

Hi 7lm

I thought you explained very well

I apologise as you did originally state GAMES

I do not play games on phone/tablets but do use technical apps

So this was taken from my iPhone and I cannot read it very well. This app will not rotate

Can you read the text in the output box...

Please note on iPhone using app, you cannot zoom so please look at picture without zooming

Please ignore though as it is technical and not gaming but just thought I’d show you

Many thanks

John

[sevenlayermuddle]

In fairness d2d4j, I would not say that App is optimised for portrait with absolutely no compromises, as the text display is clearly a compromise.    I think I’d be looking for a way to make that one auto-rotate, does it do so?   Not sure how I’d lay it out though for landscape, and I guess the qwerty keyboard might get clumsy.

Apple’s human interface guidelines encourage developers to support both orientations “if possible”, because that’s what people prefer and expect.   From contributions here I’m getting the impression that’s good advice, even if it means the App is sub-optimal in, say, landscape on a phone.

[Ronski]

If the app is designed to work in portrait mode I'm generally happy to use it that way on a phone, so long as I can read the text with my glasses on.

[d2d4j]

Hi

@7lm - no the app does not rotate

All that is needed is to make the text bigger in output screen so it is readable.

That app is very useful though for diagnosis of issues relating to services

I do not mind myself if portrait or landscape as long as I can read without difficulty. That’s the only reason I would turn landscape is to read better

This I guess though does not apply to games sorry.

Many thanks

John

[sevenlayermuddle]

Thanks folks.

Shame I’m too shy to publicly identify myself, else I could refer to my own Apps for more specific debate.  I could even bump up the prices beforehand, to take advantage of the sudden rush.