MSFN Forum: Windows 8 will adapt to Retina displays

Microsoft has announced that Windows 8 will scale and adapt to large screen sizes with high resolutions and pixel densities. The firm has said that the next generation operating system will support resolutions beyond that of the new Apple iPad's Retina stunner. Windows 8 will support a display with a resolution of up to 2560 x 1600.

Steven Sinofsky of Microsoft said: "Our goal is to support the broadest range of display technologies so PC makers can build PCs or you can use external displays that provide the best experience for your needs."

Microsoft has decided on three scaling percentages to ensure that apps will look good no matter what screen they are displayed on, not blowing them up too much or shrinking them down too small. The percentages are 100, 140 and 180 which relate to three sweet spot resolutions of 1366 x 768, 1920 x 1080 and 2560 x 1440m, respectively.

David Washington, a senior program manager on the Windows User Experience team at Microsoft said: "Because these scaling percentages are predictable, developers who provide images for each percentage can easily avoid any blurriness or artifacts due to image stretching."

Microsoft has specified the minimum resolution for Windows 8 as 1024x768 to enable apps to work on different screen sizes." A minimum resolution provides a necessary starting place for developers, who can use it as a baseline to ensure that all of the navigation, controls, and content fit on screen." said Washington.

Source: PC Advisor