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New iPad uses Retina graphics assets for upscaling

Touch Arcade noticed something interesting about the new iPad that you might not have seen yet. Specifically, it uses Retina Display graphics meant for the iPhone 4 and 4S displays when doubling the size of non-universal iPhone apps.

This is a small use case these days, as many popular apps are universal. But there are still a few apps without dedicated iPad compatibility built in, and the new iPad will now use the Retina-style graphics when pixel doubling the image.

The screenshot above is a representation of what it looks like. You'd only be able to see the real difference on a new iPad's display. The upscaled graphics still aren't as perfect as full-sized iPad graphics, but they look much better than the original iPhone-sized versions, especially when spread across the new iPad's big screen. This means even apps that aren't designed for your iPad (but have built-in compatibility for a Retina Display) will look much better than they did before.