Apple Tweaking More Icons, Upgrading to HiDPI Sizes in OS X 10.7.4

Apple is continuing the process of preparing OS X Lion for Macs offering ultra high-resolution "HiDPI" screens, upgrading several application icons to higher resolutions in yesterday's public release of OS X 10.7.4.

AppleInsider pointed to TextEdit as one example, with Apple having upgraded its icon's previous maximum size of 512x512 under OS X 10.7.3 to 1024x1024 in OS X 10.7.4. But the larger image 1024x1024 is also listed as measuring at 512x512 points, indicating that it is indeed being targeted for screens measuring at double the resolution of current displays in each dimension.

Under OS X 10.7.3, the TextEdit icon file included four different image sizes: 16x16, 32x32, 128x128, and 512x512. With the move to OS X 10.7.4, the icon now comes in ten different sizes: 16x16, 32x32 HiDPI, 32x32, 64x64 HiDPI, 128x128, 256x256 HiDPI, 256x256, 512x512 HiDPI, 512x512, and 1024x1024 HiDPI.

TextEdit is not the only application to see an upgrade, however, as Automator has not only seen new HiDPI icons appear in OS X 10.7.4, but the icon itself has also undergone some tweaking. In OS X 10.7.4, the Automator robot has taken on a somewhat darker tone, with the glossiness being toned down and the previously silver arms, legs, and pipe now appearing black. The tweaked design had previously surfaced in developer previews of OS X Mountain Lion, but is now included in OS X Lion.

automator icon comparison
Automator icon in OS X 10.7.3 (left) and OS X 10.7.4 (right)

Like TextEdit, Automator has seen an increase in the number of image sizes included in the icon file, although to a smaller extent. Under OS X 10.7.3, the Automator icon included the same four basic sizes: 16x16, 32x32, 128x128, and 512x512. But under OS X 10.7.4, the new icon now comes in six different sizes: 16x16, 32x32, 128x128, 256x256, 512x512, and 1024x1024 HiDPI.

Retina-sized graphics have been appearing with increasing frequency in both OS X Lion and developer previews of OS X Mountain Lion. In line with those changes, Apple has been rumored to be launching a Retina display 15-inch MacBook Pro in the near future, with a 2880x1800 display measuring in at twice the resolution of the current 1440x900 display in each dimension.

As with the move to Retina displays on Apple's iOS devices, content would appear at the same physical size on these new displays as on current displays, but with much sharper image quality for applications bundling resources supporting the HiDPI mode. Even applications that do not immediately update their resources to HiDPI quality should see improvements in sharpness, as Apple will undoubtedly include the same font scaling improvements used in iOS to automatically scale up text in applications to HiDPI resolution.

(Thanks, Mario!)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive These Five Perks

Wednesday July 9, 2025 9:20 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, did you know that Apple offers you five perks beyond the extra storage space, at no additional cost? Here are the perks included with all iCloud+ plans:Private Relay keeps your Safari browsing history entirely private from network providers, websites, and even Apple. Hide My Email generates unique, random email addresses whenever needed. Hom...

Top Rated Comments

jman240 Avatar
172 months ago
Granted everyone is discussing an icon design here.. think of how great it could have been if Microsoft had designed it for their new Metro interface in Windows 8!

/sarcasm

I threw together a quick idea of what it would look like in metro for giggles...
Score: 49 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Inakto Avatar
172 months ago
Careful... Automator + Terminal = Terminator!
.Net + Skydrive = Skynet..

It's happening :0
Score: 48 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tigres Avatar
172 months ago
That's almost Eeeeevaaaa
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Comeagain? Avatar
172 months ago
That's the automator icon from 10.8!
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TennisandMusic Avatar
172 months ago
I'm just thrilled automator wasn't removed entirely.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tekriter Avatar
172 months ago
Maybe I'm getting old, but it occurred to me that my original Mac Plus screen (512x384) wouldn't be able to display these icons in their entirety.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)