ComiXology Upgrades to HD Comics Format For Shiny New iPad 3 Owners

With Friday's release of Apple's new iPad 3, which comes with a much higher resolution display than previous versions (four times as many pixels, according to Apple), fans were wondering how quickly digital comic companies would take advantage of the richer colors, sharper images and possibilities being offered. The answer seems to be "very quickly," with ComiXology already announcing its CMX-HD format.According to a report on Macworld, ComiXology will be upgrading its catalog to CMX-HD over the next few months, with the upgraded editions available for free download to those who have already bought the earlier digital release. CMX-HD releases will only be available for customers using an iPad 3, with files being around two to three times larger than the standard digital format, but both formats will have the same price for customers. ComiXology CEO David Steinberger estimates that around 90% of all ComiXology's back catalog will ultimately be upgraded to CMX-HD format, with "nearly 100 percent" of new releases also being available in high definition editions.

The CMX-HD upgrade for ComiXology's Comics App has been submitted to Apple for approval, with a release date promised soon.