Update Oct 5, 2017: we have an article about switching from the iPad-only version of Codebook to the universal version on our blog, along with information for customers who haven’t yet purchased the universal build and would like to get credit for their previous purchase.
Way back when we first released Codebook for iPhone in 2008 there was only one screen size and only one type of device. In 2010 the iPad was first made available and App Store developers, like us, had some choices to make in supporting the iPad. Was the app in question suitable to a larger, heavier, touch-based device, sometimes paired with a hardware keyboard? If so, it wouldn’t be enough to fake it by stretching the existing app’s interface to fill all that new screen real estate, it required an interface that was either adapted to or customized for use on the larger device.
Apple provided two routes for iPhone app developers to adopt the iPad form factor: 1) creating a new app just for iPad, with the existing resources copied over to it, or 2) modifying the existing app target to be a universal build that runs on both devices and adapts dynamically to the screen requirements.
We made the choice of going with a separate app for iPad and ever since it’s been a source of confusion and frustration for our customers who more and more these days expect apps to be universal. For some time we’ve wanted to revisit that decision and provide a universal build of Codebook that runs on both iPhone and iPad, and we’re in a pretty good spot to do that right now.
Starting with version 3.3.0, the iPhone version of Codebook is now a universal app that can be installed on iPhone and iPad. Customers who purchase or who have purchased the iPhone version will be able to easily find it in the App Store on their iPads and install it without an additional charge (before it took some poking around, and the scaled up iPhone interface was not good). As for the iPad version of Codebook, it will remain in the store and continue to receive updates for the time being. The name in the App Store has been updated to “Codebook for iPad (Legacy)” to help make the distinction. The App Icon for the iPad (Legacy) version has been changed to a grayscale version to help tell the apps apart on your home screen:
Eventually Codebook for iPad’s separate app will be retired when we release Codebook 4. This is still some ways off and we don’t have a date in mind yet, but we encourage our customers to switch to the iPhone/universal version sooner than later.
If you have any questions please contact us at support@zetetic.net.