iOS app 1024px icon, when included in the Assets catalog, has incorrect gamma adjustment applied when rendered in the App Store

Originator:cbowns
Number:rdar://34939583 Date Originated:2017-10-11
Status:Open Resolved:
Product:App Store Product Version:
Classification:UI/Usability Reproducible:Always
 
Summary:

We included a 1024 px copy of our app's icon in the app's asset catalog, per Xcode 9 and iTunes Connect's requirement. We've observed a discoloration of the icon on the App Store page (and on the app's TestFlight page): it appears the App Store is reprocessing the image and adjusting its gamma, which discolors the icon.

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Include a 1024 x 1024 pixel copy of an application icon in an app's Assets.xcassets asset catalog.
2. Upload this build to iTunes Connect for TestFlight testing or App Store distribution.

Expected Results:
The icon is rendered correctly on iTunes Connect and on device, in the App Store app, the TestFlight app, and on the home screen once installed.

Actual Results:
The icon is rendered *incorrectly* on iTunes Connect, in the App Store app, and in the TestFlight app. The home screen icon does render correctly.

Additional notes:
I've further tested this by removing the 1024 px icon from the asset catalog, and uploading a new build on 2017-10-10 for TestFlight testing. The app icon *does* appear correctly for apps which *do not* contain a 1024 px icon in their asset catalog.

I've compared the icon rendered in iTunes Connect to the uploaded icon, and it appears that a relative gamma adjustment from 1.0 to 0.4 (as performed by the image editor Acorn) reproduces the effect applied by iTunes Connect.

Attached are screenshots of the app icon in Xcode, the app icon when installed on an iOS device, which both appear correct, and the icon on iTunes Connect and in the App Store, which appears incorrect. This icon is also live, at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/topology-eyewear-custom-fit-glasses/id1110119242?mt=8

Version/Build:
App built with Xcode 9.0 (9A235). The iOS 10 *and* iOS 11 App Stores show the incorrect icon. Those App Store icons are from a build uploaded on Oct 5, 2017 at 10:15 PM. iTunes Connect also shows the incorrect icon for that build.

Configuration:
Attached is a copy of our assets catalog's app icon entry, and several screenshots with annotations.

Comments


Please note: Reports posted here will not necessarily be seen by Apple. All problems should be submitted at bugreport.apple.com before they are posted here. Please only post information for Radars that you have filed yourself, and please do not include Apple confidential information in your posts. Thank you!