How to put correct app icons sizes in Android, including for Amazon Kindle Fire?

Question

So far, I've always used the next application icons sizes :

• ldpi 36x36
• mdpi 48x48
• hdpi 72x72
• xhdpi 96x96
• xxhdpi 144x144

However, for Amazon Kindle Fire, the situation is different, since it shows the icons on a "carousel", which enlarges them a lot. This means a very blurry icon since it uses the mdpi icon.

I've checked on the internet, and I saw that for the Kindle Fire, I need to put a 200x200 icon on the drawable-mdpi folder. However, this can result in weird things on some other mdpi devices, like the optimus one. For example, if I use the icon in a notification (either the temporary one or the one that sticks in the notification bar), it is enlarged/cropped.

What should I do? I don't like the idea of making a version for the android market and a different one for the Amazon market, or somehow set the 200x200 icon to specifically work only for Kindle Fire. the reason is that new Android devices are always created, and I cannot afford to buy them all just to check that it looks fine on them too.

Is there maybe a way to use a single, very high quality app icon?

Morning

1.i accept an answer only if it really can solve the problem . 2.i've already read those guidelines , and they don't have anything about the kindle fire's problems. – Morning

1. If you're only getting appropriate answers for 45% of your questions you're asking the wrong questions. If you answer your own question don't forget to set that as the accepted answer. 2. I wasn't showing you that link for the kindle fire. What I was saying was that you should make icons SPECIFICALLY for your notifications. You've said in the question that you're using the 200x200 app icon for the notification icon. Read the guidelines, create custom notification icons and your problems will be solved.d – Uranian

In any case, a search on google for "app icon kindle fire" turned up loads of info including this: #8160379 which should tell you what you need to know. – Uranian

so , should i put the high quality icon inside the app , or should i do that from the amazon app store itself somehow? – Morning

For testing multiple devices, have a look at appthwack.com. Not completely free, but much more approachable than buying even a couple more devices. – Sheepshead

Answer 1

ok , it seems that once i put the app on the amazon app store, it might be possible to use the best icon. references:

http://mobile.tutsplus.com/tutorials/android/getting-started-with-kindle-fire-development/

https://developer.amazon.com/help/faq.html

How to embed a high-resolution icon in a non-Amazon-AppStore Kindle Fire app?

Morning

I have a question regarding that big app icon that is present in kindle fire while switching between the apps. Where does it get picked from i.e. which folder ? Or is it like 512 x 512 icon that we use on google play while publishing app ? – Tiein

Amazon takes it from the same place you publish the app – Morning

Answer 2

According to a Kindle Fire development tutorial :

Tip 6: Fuzzy App Icons If you're loading apps through ADB or another method, you may have noticed that the app icons on the home screen are small and fuzzy compared to the apps and books that show up through the Kindle Fire interface. As it turns out, the graphics for apps and media purchased through Amazon are loaded from a web service rather than referenced from the manifest file. So, once you get your application on the Amazon Appstore, and download it via the store, your application icon graphics appear correctly.

Newlin

Yes, that's what i've written. but do you know what's the reason behind this? it's very weird... – Morning

@androiddeveloper Probably because it uses the much higher resolution launcher-web image, or some equivalent that you submit when uploading to the Amazon app store. Until then, it probably uses one of the really low resolution icons in your drawable folder. – Camel

Wouldn't it make a bit more sense to delay the installation a bit to download the higher resolution image... ? – Morning

i thought i was going crazy...thanks for this...grrr amazon – Adamic

Answer 3

create folder to resource drawable-large-mdpi and put 200x200 icon there, it may work.

Also i recommend to check here

Flor

what about other devices that have this properties ? won't it mean that they might have problems with the sizes? – Morning

this works for me, even though, I put 675x675 for Amazon Kindle Fire HD – Waterhouse

This works, I just put in my 512x512 in there. I don't know if it works for other Fire devices besides my HDX though – Denaedenarius

Answer 4

Just to make you aware and remind :

The Carousel icon on the kindle fire should be as referred to the Amazon Guide Lines :

Kindle Fire (1st Gen) : 322x322 px

Kindle Fire :  365x365 

Kindle Fire HD 7" : 425x425

Kindle Fire HD 8.9 : 675x675

But as per android standards , Launcher Icon Size is non rather than :

ldpi (120 dpi) (Low density screen)             36 x 36 px 
mdpi (160dpi)(Medium density screen)            48 x 48 px 
hdpi (240 dpi)(Highdensity screen)              72 x 72 px 
xhdpi (320 dpi) (Extra-high density screen)     96 x 96 px

I also tried to use following , but still un-certain behavior

custom drawable "drawable-1024x600-v10" with ic_launcher.png for KindleFire 1 st Gen

custom drawable "drawable-1024x600-v15" with ic_launcher.png for KindleFire 2nd Gen

custom drawable "drawable-1280x800" with ic_launcher.png for  KindleFire HD-7'

custom drawable "drawable-1920x1200" with ic_launcher.png for  KindleFire HD-8.9'

Aubreyaubrie

what do you mean? do you say that it's enough to use the standard icons? it doesn't make sense since the icons shown will be stretched and blurry. – Morning

no let me refine my words.. "I mean that if you are targeting kindle fire support than you must emphasize on the amazon guidelines" OTHERWISE you can't achieve optimized design for supporting platform – Aubreyaubrie

bottom line, what files (and their resolutions) should be added and where? – Morning

I would like to know how to target for all devices, including those of Amazon's (including all of the kindleFire devices). – Morning