This is a new requirement as of March 27, 2019. It's expected that most developers will take screenshots in the simulator but my game will not run in the simulator because it is Metal only. Am I expected to purchase a $2,000 device so I can provide screenshots?
iPhone XS Max screenshot requirements
Use the simulator to create a blank screenshot. Then cut-and-paste another screenshot onto that correctly sized image. Alternatively, purchase the device and claim it as a business expense citing exactly this problem. I suspect you can get it for less than $2000 - and it would be tax deductible!
>expected to purchase a $2,000 device
....maybe not 😉, maybe a good excuse to take the plunge.
Grab screenshots off whichever device you're using and re-size them into an XS M screenshot template. Also note that there are applications in the mac app store that will generate a range of required screenshots from one sample, again, taken from whichever device(s) you do have.
In addition, seen the alternative process outlined by bryant1410 in this thread?
Ok, thanks for the info. I did try running it in the simulator a few times, but it only showed a black screen and crashed xcode. Worked fine on all devices.
I considered screenshot apps but I'm unsure how to proceed because the UI scales and moves depending on the screen size and aspect ratio, so cropping is not an option. I suppose I could pad it with black?
Looks like I'll be buying one after all. Probably for the best since I don't have a "notch" device for testing.
You can take a screenshot from the simulator. Then open that file up in Preview and do anything you want with it - just don't change the size. No need for "screenshot apps".
If your app uses SceneKit Physically Based Rendering (PBR) materials which require Metal and/or your app requires ARKit on iPad and iPhone, you'll also apparently have to now purchase both an iPhone XS Max and an iPad Pro 12.9". That's $999 + $1099 = $2,098. Or fake the screenshots as described above, I suppose.
Take a screenshot on the device that you already have. In Xcode make a new viewcontroller add an imageview insert screenshot in the imageview. Run it on the xs max simulator then take screenshot.
Not that complicated -- just PhotoShop/Gimp the smaller screen capture to the XS Max screen size.
Also...with regards to
"the UI scales and moves depending on the screen size and aspect ratio, so cropping is not an option"
- who cares. It's just a screenshot that appears at the launch for a few moments.
> unsure how to proceed because the UI scales and moves depending on the screen size and aspect ratio, so cropping is not an option. I suppose I could pad it with black?
What's important, I think, is that it looks sufficiently similar to all the other screenshots, without seeming poorly crafted. Take your best shot, do a decent job equal to the task, don't over think it, and if app review disagrees, expect them to let you know. I would not pad it w/black, etc.
Wouldn't doing that make the screenshot look distorted depending on what device he is using?
Doesn't the store decide which screenshots to show based on which device the user is on? If it doesn't bifurcate, then it would risk distortion. I think it bifurcates, tho 😉