How to create a launch image or how to get an empty status bar

Question

I want to create a launch image for my app. The HIG states:

For iPhone and iPod touch create launch images that include the status bar region in the following sizes:

• 320 x 480 pixels
• 640 x 960 pixels (high resolution)

I've tried to screenshot my app within the iPhone Simulator. But here the status bar is on the screen including signal strength, carrier, time and battery life. So there are two possibilities:

• include status bar with wrong information
• clean status bar for myself (use Photoshop or something like this and then I have to be aware of the gradients ...)
• leave out status bar, but then violating the HIG (because images are of size 320x460 and 640x920)

Is there a way to hide the informations in the status bar in iPhone Simulator? Should I leave out the status bar as talked here?

Solution:

It seems that all three answers are right. Here are the solutions:

1. Supply images of size 320x480 / 640x960 with or without cleared status bar

2. Crop images (without status bar). Images have the size 320x460 and 640x920 then.

To be conform to the HIG I'll choose option no. 1

Answer 1

I just used photoshop, selected the left most pixels in the status bbar (to get the gradient) and enlarged it to the right to cover all of the text / icons - this meant I had the status bar's gradient with no incorrect stuff on it.

It seemed to look OK.

Answer 2

It is perfectly fine to supply an image sized 320x460. The iPhone will display the status bar and your image underneath. I have an application in the AppStore with such an image and never ran into any problems with the review process.

If you supply an image sized 320x480, the status bar will overlay it.

Answer 3

Have you tried it without doing anything? I think the correct toolbar will be overlaid on top of the image, from the looks of things.