Calibrate your tablet with X-Rite ColorTRUE (VIDEO)

If you’re a professional photographer, showing clients images or video on an iPad can save you from having to lug a laptop around with you. But one of the problems of a tablet for pro-level use is that they’re not calibrated, so image color and range may not be accurate. But now X-Rite is planning to change that, and with the launch of an app on both Android and iOS promises to make your favorite mobile device that much more precise.

The program is called ColorTRUE, and it’s available as a free download for both iOS and Android. It connects to your computer that has some of X-Rite’s hardware and software installed, and then allows you to use the X-Rite calibrator on your mobile device. Not only does it create a calibrated profile, but the app also allows you to switch back and forth between a number of subtly tweaked versions of the profile.

Press Release: 

X-Rite, Incorporated, the world leader in color management, measurement and communication technologies, today announced the release of ColorTRUE™ for Apple iOS and Google Android platforms. ColorTRUE provides photographers, designers, and prepress professionals the ability to calibrate and profile their tablet and mobile devices for accurate color matching. ColorTRUE includes a Create Profile tool and an Image Gallery viewer and is currently available as a free download on the Apple® App Store and Google® Play Store.

ColorTRUE Calibration

ColorTRUE creates a custom display profile for iOS and Android mobile devices using a supported X-Rite measurement device. The user simply places the connected device on the tablet or phone when prompted and the measurement process begins automatically. The profile is applied to all images displayed through the ColorTRUE Image Gallery, providing the user with the most accurate color match to a desktop reference monitor, or other color managed monitors.

Steve Rankin, Product Manager, at X-Rite, commented: “While iOS and Android devices deliver pleasing color right out of the box, ColorTRUE is the first app that will provide photographers, designers, and prepress professionals with a true color match from desktop to mobile. Tablets have become increasingly important in imaging workflows and getting accurate color on the mobile device is now as critical as it is on the desktop. Whether showing your portfolio to a perspective client or soft-proofing an image before final run, ColorTRUE delivers color accuracy at the level X-Rite customers expect, while maintaining the speed and simplicity of use necessary in the mobile environment.”

ColorTRUE Image Gallery

ColorTRUE is the only mobile color management app that delivers an Image Gallery viewer with a unique set of tools that enables the highest level of color accurate viewing:

•     Ambient Light Compensation – ColorTRUE will adjust to any ambient viewing condition ensuring that images are displayed correctly regardless of the lighting condition and display brightness setting


•     Print Simulation – Preview or soft-proof images using different printer profiles and rendering intents


•     White Point – Match your tablet to your desktop – to ensure you are assessing the same image on tablet and desktop, ColorTRUE lets you choose between D65, D50 and Native white point


•     ICC Profile – Embedded image profiles are used or you can manually select correct working color spaces for your images (sRGB, Adobe RGB, ProPhoto RGB)


•     Before and After – Toggle the calibration on and off to see the color accuracy improvements on your images

Coloratti George Jardine states, “It only makes sense that X-Rite would be first to the party with a super-easy mobile calibration solution that really works! ColorTRUE gives me the confidence that what I’m seeing on my iPad will match the corrections that I’ve made on my professional i1Display-calibrated and profiled desktop displays. And the best part is…ColorTRUE uses my existing hardware.”

ColorTRUE Aware Partner Program

With the launch of ColorTRUE, X-Rite also announces its ColorTRUE Aware partner program. Unlike laptop or desktop operating systems, iOS and Android operating systems do not have system wide color management capabilities. This means each app must apply color profiles independently. X-Rite will soon release a Software Developers Kit (SDK) that will allow 3rd party app developers access to the ColorTRUE profile, enabling them to seamlessly deliver color management within their own app(s). ColorTRUE users can be confident any third party app such as image editing or viewing, inline production approval, or even creative sketching for proof of concept is color managed whenever they see the ColorTRUE Aware logo. More information can be found at xritephoto.com/colortrueSDK.

Steve Rankin, Product Manager, at X-Rite, continued, “As tablets and mobile devices increasingly permeate color and image based workflows, it has never been more important that these devices become truly color accurate. With ColorTRUE and the ColorTRUE Aware partner program, X-Rite now offers the missing color management components on iOS and Android platforms. Our goal is to enable app developers and help create an eco-system of color managed apps. We encourage all app developers where color is important to their users to contact us and learn more about our ColorTRUE Aware partner program.”

Supported X-Rite Devices

An X-Rite measurement device (sold separately) is required for the ColorTRUE® calibration process. iOS phones and tablets support ColorMunki Smile, ColorMunki Display, i1Display Pro, and i1Pro 2, while Android phones and tablets support ColorMunki Display and i1Display Pro. Visit xritephoto.com/colortrue for complete specifications list.

About X-Rite

X-Rite, Incorporated with its wholly owned subsidiary Pantone LLC is the global leader in color science and technology. The company develops, manufactures, markets and supports innovative color solutions through measurement systems, software, color standards and services. X-Rite’s expertise in inspiring, selecting, measuring, formulating, communicating and matching color helps users get color right the first time and every time, which translates to better quality and reduced costs. X-Rite serves a range of industries, including printing, packaging, photography, graphic design, video, automotive, paints, plastics, textiles, dental and medical. For further information, please visit http://www.xrite.com or http://www.xritephoto.com.

©2014 X-Rite, Inc. All rights reserved. X-Rite is a registered trademark of X-Rite, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. PANTONE® and other Pantone trademarks are the property of Pantone LLC. © 2012. All rights reserved.

Calibrate your tablet with X-Rite ColorTRUE (VIDEO)