Phone vs Tablet Apps

[PRyan0417]

This is just a general knowledge question. I was in a spirited debate with someone over how apps are handled on Android for various screen sizes, pointing out that on iOS there is often an iPhone version and an iPad version that must be purchased separately but that this usually isn't the case in Android, as one app handles various screen sizes if the developer has done a good job programming it. He fired back that scaling isn't the best way to go.

I may be wrong, but OS scaling isn't what's happening on Android, is it? For instance, the GMail app looks different on my phone and tablet but ti's the same app. It's not Android scaling it though, it's that Good has essentially programmed the app to appear and function differently depending on what screen size is being used. I want to be able to reply to my iOS using friend with accurate information, so if I wrong, I'd like to know before I make an ass out of myself.

 

[GMJeff]

As far as I know, scaling is exactly how it is done. Developers wouldn't want to code a different app for all of the different resolutions.

This usually means the basic app can be shown properly on numerous devices without a lot of coding. Sometimes all they have to do is add a few different design items like larger/smaller menus or resizing windows and text and such.

On the other hand, there are some developers that code apps for each platform, phone and tablet, because they may include some hardware specific features into the apps.