Open iPhone app (Phonegap wrapped app) on iPad with iPhone dimensions instead of iPad dimensions

Question

Before iOS 7, iPhone apps used to launch on iPad apps with iPhone dimensions. However, now the apps launch with iPad dimensions.

Is there a way to revert this functionality? We tried playing with different viewport settings, but those failed to do anything.

Here's the newest viewport setting we tried: <meta name='viewport' content='initial-scale=1.0,user-scalable=no,maximum-scale=1' />

Our app is written with HTML5 and uses Phonegap as a wrapper.

We also considered JavaScript solutions to determine the device width at run time, but again, this fails because the apps launch with iPad dimensions instead of iPhone dimensions.

You talk about an app (native), but then talking about viewport/JavaScript (html). I'm guessing your app is using PhoneGap or similar to wrap HTML as a native app? — Timothy Walters, Oct 14 '13 at 05:03

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 14 '13 at 04:58

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Are you iPad user? In iOS 6 and below behaviour was awful.

If you want to your users would be happy, use full size app.

Why are you trying change this behaviour?

answered Oct 14 '13 at 04:58

AlKozin

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Yes, we had many iPad users. They were able to use the app because it was designed as an iPhone app. We don't have the graphical assets to design for the iPad, and as long as the app rendered at iPhone sizes, people could play and be happy with the app. That is no longer the case now. – Crashalot Oct 14 '13 at 05:54

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 15 '13 at 03:04

If your PhoneGap app is built for iPhone only instead of universal then no changes to the HTML/CSS/JavaScript will impact this.

You can either change you app to be universal and then choose what happens when it is running on an iPad, or be at the mercy of the operating system on how it will display.

To be honest, I haven't tried any iPhone-only apps on my iPad since iOS 7, so I was unaware of the change.

Perhaps some others will know if there are other options without building the app as Universal (since you stated you don't want to do that).

score 0 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 11:43

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This worked for us: using <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1"> instead of <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">. Found here: Transition to iOS 7: correct viewport setting for jQuery/iPhone Webapps viewed on iPads

edited May 23 '17 at 11:43

Community

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answered Oct 21 '13 at 20:20

Crashalot

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Open iPhone app (Phonegap wrapped app) on iPad with iPhone dimensions instead of iPad dimensions

3 Answers3