The trouble with releasing a device with a different resolution or aspect ratio than currently available, is that all apps created up until that point need to be updated to support the new display. The MacBook Pro with Retina display arrived in the summer, and the 13-inch edition joined last month, and while plenty of apps have been adjusted to look good on the super-sharp display, many are still awaiting an update. Among them is the official Twitter app for Mac, but for those that do not wish to wait any longer, one third-party developer has taken it upon himself to make some adjustments.
Seeing as the official Mac client hasn’t been touched by Twitter in a year and a half, it’s unlikely any Retina display support is imminent, but Turkey-based iOS dev Deniz Mert Edincik has fixed up the app for the Retina MacBook Pro ranges. It’s not a fully complete solution – some elements haven’t been completely "Retinized," but it looks a great deal better when applied.
Although Twitter hasn’t explicitly stated as such, it does appear the social network has abandoned further development of its app for OS X, but with a semi-retina solution now available, those who don’t wish to pay $20 for Tweetbot needn’t suffer with low-res graphics. Edinicik’s patched version of the Twitter client isn’t, as you can imagine, available over at the Mac App Store, so if you want to get a hold of it, you’ll need to head on over to this link and download the embedded file in the tweet.
We’ve given it a test run on our Retina display MacBook Pro, and can confirm it works as advertised. As mentioned, there are a few elements still in need of fine tuning, but until the point Edinicik – or perhaps somebody else – decides to do so, it still looks very nice.
The MacBook Pro with Retina display isn’t the only Apple gadget currently awaiting visual improvements in certain apps. The stretched 4-inch display of the iPhone 5 means videos can now be viewed at 16:9 aspect, but while this is a doubtless improvement, apps not yet updated are left with unsightly "letterboxes" at the top and bottom of the display.
Lets hope more and more developers come through with these crucial updates sooner, rather than later.
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