We have seen a flood of iPad apps with over
1450 approved for launch. The first universal apps that will run on the iPad and the iPhone/iPod Touch have now been approved by Apple. We explained the difference between
these apps here.
Universal apps are ones that recognize the device they're on, and run the appropriate version of the app. These aren't iPad exclusive as these apps still work in the same way on the iPhone/iPod Touch. They're not just iPhone apps with bad looking double pixels. Universal apps work natively on the respective device.
Well how can you find these universal apps? Luckily they appear in the search under the iPad apps category and the iPhone apps category. They're indicated by a little plus in the top left corner of the price. If there is a plus the app is a universal app no matter if it show up under the iPad apps category or the iPhone apps category.
Two major universal apps have already been released. Pandora Radio is the first, and it's still free. Pandora will look exactly the same running on your iPhone or iPod Touch. If you download it on to your iPad though a whole new interface will appear. The iPad interface gives you your stations on the left column, and the main column provides background and details about the artist you're listening to.
The second major universal app is Evernote which also remains free. Again the app won't change on the iPhone/iPod Touch it will still be the same app. When you load it on your iPad though there is a brand new look. When you see your notebooks they look like stacks in iPad iPhoto, each note in a notebook appears in the left column with a large view in the main window, and of course you have access to the big iPad keyboard.
Do you see a difference between the two devices yet?
In an interesting move the universal app functionality comes as an update, so that means iPhone and iPod Touch users will see the update in their updated apps section though the app most likely won't change for them. This also means that you won't have to re-buy apps that have the little plus icon on the price if you've already bought it.
