Retinaskærme

Retinaskærme is a Danish term commonly used to describe high-density displays that Apple markets as Retina displays. The core idea is that the pixel density is high enough that individual pixels are not normally discernible to the human eye at typical viewing distances, resulting in a sharper and smoother image.

The concept originated with Apple's release of the iPhone 4 in 2010, which featured a higher pixel density than previous models. Since then, Retina displays have been extended to other Apple products, including iPads, MacBook Pro laptops, iMacs, and Apple Watches, with subsequent generations offering improved brightness, color accuracy, contrast, and viewing angles. The term itself is marketing language rather than a single technical specification, and different devices achieve the effect through varying resolutions and screen sizes.

Technically, the idea is tied to pixel density, measured in pixels per inch (PPI), and to the viewing distance. In practice, developers use scale factors such as 2x or 3x for app assets to ensure sharp rendering on Retina displays. This has had a lasting impact on software design, encouraging vector graphics and multi-resolution bitmap assets to maintain visual quality across devices.

In discussions of display technology, Retina is often described alongside related terms such as HiDPI, LCD vs OLED implementations, and color accuracy improvements. While the exact specifications differ between devices and generations, the overarching goal of Retinaskærme remains to provide crisp text and imagery by increasing pixel density and refining image quality.