First there was the 2007 iPhone screen resolution, then the retina display, then the iPad screen resolution, then the iPad retina display, and now the iPhone 5 new screen resolution. And there is the coming iPad mini screen resolution.

All in all 6 different screen sizes.

6 times the cost of developing software.

I wonder how is it that someone from Microsoft does not joke about it. We have known Windows for thirty years, and basically enjoying the same screen resolution. The fact that apps would run inside actual windows would ensure that no matter what the physical size of the display monitor, the application would not have to care about it. In other words, develop once, run everywhere.

This cost effectiveness is all broken by Apple.

6 times the cost of developing one app is needed to ensure that one's app looks fine and works fine on an arbitrary customer device. Don't do this, and what is guaranteed is support ($$cost$$) and lack of sale (also $$).

This is a disaster for all small vendors out there.

Thanks Apple for creating such nightmare...