Tamil Fonts: Rendering issue in iPhone

[Tharique Azeez]

First of all, thank you very much for adding the Tamil fonts to all awesome Google Web Fonts directory. I've been waiting for this Unicode font support feature since the new look & feel Google Web Font release happened in Google I/O.

I've been testing the available Tamil fonts, lately. All four added Tamil fonts looks stunningly gorgeous in PC -- there is no rendering issue in characters or anything. But, while I was checking the very same site that uses these fonts, through an iPhone -- the fonts are not been rendered correctly. I've checked with both Chrome and Safari browsers in iPhone they both look the same. When I change the font-family to default, the iPhone rendered the Tamil characters properly with its native installed TamilSangamMN font. 

Will that this rendering issue can be fixed at Google Web Fonts' end? I am curious and as I want to see the all gorgeous fonts not only in the PC but also in the iPhone too. :) Thank you.

Here are the screenshots that can explain this very particular rendering issue:

Below the screenshot is from PC using Chrome -- This is the correct rendered version. [font-family set to web font]

Below screenshot is from iPhone using Chrome. -- incorrect rendering here. [font-family set to web font here]

Below screenshot is from iPhone using Chrome. -- correct rendering here. [font-family not set to web font]

Below screenshot is from iPhone using Safari. -- incorrect rendering here. [font-family set to web font]

[Dave Crossland]

Hi

The problem is that iOS doesn't render OpenType Layout shaping, only AAT shaping; but Mac OS X, Windows and GNU+Linux all render OpenType Layout shaping. The Tamil fonts do not have AAT shaping so they won't render correctly, but the iOS system font does. 

> Will that this rendering issue can be fixed at Google Web Fonts' end?

The problem could be fixed by adding AAT shaping to the fonts, or by Apple implementing OTL in iOS. 

I do see that Danh Hong added AAT shaping to Nokora and it made a huge difference in usage:

http://www.khmertype.org/2012/11/nokora-font-in-statistics.html

Cheers
Dave

[M Sardhar]

Thanks for such a wonderful and long awaited web fonts from Google.

The rendering issue is not only limited to iOS but Android too. But all works great with PC.

Please do the needful.
 

[Dave Crossland]

Hi!

The nature of the Early Access fonts is that they are experimental.
Please be patient as lots of things improve, in fonts themselves as
well as operating systems :-)

Cheers
Dave