Developers, bloggers, anyone who uses iOS screenshots, lend me your ears! For too long have iOS screenshots been published with embarrassingly low battery percentages and times that reveal the nocturnal nature of the author. In some cases, you are virtually contract-bound to have your screenshot prepared in a certain way and, of course, if Apple can have every one of its own screenshots timed to a minute of each other, so can you!
This is where Status Magic comes in. It’s a simple utility for your Mac which takes your iOS screenshots and lets you polish them up with custom times, carriers, locations and more.
Getting Started
Getting started with Status Magic is as straightforward as simply opening your screenshot(s) into the app. When they’re opened successfully, you’ll be able to pick one to work with from the list at the bottom of the app which displays your opened files in welcome fashion of images rather than text, so you can easily pick out the one you want to edit.
Changing some of the variable status information is as easy as selecting an option from a dropdown list.
By clicking on the gear icon, you’ll be able to make all the possible edits to the screenshot, everything from changing the network and connectivity status to whether or not to show the Location Services icon. You can also disable parts of the status bar all together, a versatile feature of the application which favours some of the unique uses of iOS screenshots where you might not want the time (or other part of the status bar) showing at all.
You can also change the overarching style of the status bar from a variety of native styles from both iOS 5 and iOS 6, or opt to remove the status bar altogether from your screenshot, cropping it down to exact size. Fancy a different coloured status bar? You can even do that too, although the value of the feature outside of some initial novelty is questionable.
Fancy adding a flair of pink to your screenshot?
When you’re ready to export, Status Magic will even give you the convenient option of resizing 2x Retina screenshots down to the traditional 1x size which is a welcome feature.
Editing in Batch
While you can certainly use the app to modify just one screenshot, the process of manipulating multiple files in the same way, to represent a consistent status bar, is as simple as opening the images (or, alternatively, dragging the files into the app from Finder).
Status Magic handles batch editing well.
This is especially useful if you have a lot of files to modify, but yet want all to be done so in the same way. It also means that, for as long as Status Magic is updated to include them, new developments in iOS (such as new releases) can be instantly reflected in your screenshots without having to go through and take them all again. Got a load of iPhone screenshots that still show the 3G indicator? Simply dropping them into Status Magic and switching the connectivity option to 4G/LTE is a straightforward and speedy process.
App Developers, Beware!
The app is really useful if you’re developing any sort of app yourself, rather than simply capturing preexisting ones. As many will know, Apple maintains tight control over how App Store products are represented, making requirements like having no carrier name shown in the screenshots you use to market your app.
Some finished products taken from an iPhone 5 and edited in Status Magic.
Status Magic allows the process of ensuring your compliance with Apple’s guidelines is super efficient and means you don’t have to pull out a copy of Photoshop to scrub off your carrier branding in the top-left corner.
Final Thoughts
Status Magic is a niche app that’s not going to be needed nor wanted by everyone. However, if you do work with iOS screenshots, especially in a professional or commercial context, Status Magic provides the tools for adding a bit of polish to them in a simple, intuitive manner that’s as straightforward as opening a file, ticking some boxes and then exporting it.
Status Magic isn’t cheap, though. It’ll cost you $6.99, which is somewhat of a heavy investment for such a small utility. However, if you work with iOS screenshots regularly, the app offers enough value in the form of speed and convenience that there’s little against it. Ultimately, Status Magic is a worthy investment if it does what you need to get done, and does so in a manner that’s very difficult to criticise.
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