Launch Image / Splashscreen differences and which one is required?

Question

I have been reading through the iOS Human Interface Guidelines as a more senior developer has turned around and told me that there is no need for the default.png images or as he calls them splash screens and he believes this because of this line:

As much as possible, avoid displaying a splash screen or other startup experience. It’s best when users can begin using your app immediately.

But I don't believe he is correct, because this document also states

You must provide at least one launch image. Typically, an iPhone app includes at least one launch image in portrait orientation; an iPad app includes at least one launch image in portrait orientation and at least one launch image in landscape orientation.

Now I have done some research and found Difference between launch image and splash screen but there is no definitive answer on there.

Can anyone provide any other evidence (Possibly from Apple) that states that these images are required so I can go back and say "No you are wrong"?

And if possible a good descriptive answer describing the difference between a Launch image (default.png) and a splashscreen (Which in my opinion is not the default.png image)?

Answer 1

You should not see the default.png as a splash screen. And you senior developer is wrong. Just start an app without a default.png on an old device, like an iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4, and you will see a black screen.

The default.png is meant as a placeholder while your app is launching. Apple suggests you use a screen shot of your app’s main view without any content. For example, the Notes app will launch with an empty list of notes, and the text will fill in once the app has launched.

The comment in the HIG about displaying a splash screen is there because some apps present a splash screen with a company name longer than was needed for the app to start and Apple does not want this because it does not make for a very good user experience.

So in short, yes you should provide a default.png as a placeholder for the time it takes your app to be launched, but never as a commercial splash screen.

Answer 2

See the required resources guide here:

https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/iphone/conceptual/iphoneosprogrammingguide/App-RelatedResources/App-RelatedResources.html

Launch images are definitely required. They are not splash screens (typically added by a programmer to disguise resource loading or other initial operations). They are designed to hide the fact that Springboard can be rather slow opening apps.

Nota Bene: default.png was over-taken by the Launch Image asset catalogue in iOS 7. See:

https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/recipes/xcode_help-image_catalog-1.0/StoringAppIconsandLaunchImagesinanAssetCatalog/StoringAppIconsandLaunchImagesinanAssetCatalog.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40013303-CH7-SW1