Good news for notch haters. It looks like Apple is planning on gradually moving away from the blacked-out area at the top of iPhone screens to house the camera.
Two different sources have suggested this is Apple’s intent. First, the analyst Ming-Chi Kuo put out a new research note which states that a new iPhone in 2020 will come with a smaller front-facing camera lens, for a better screen-to-bezel ratio. That, in turn, would mean that the notch would be reduced – though whether it would be shorter, thinner or both isn’t clear.
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Conversely, the China Times has another source – an analyst from Credit Suisse Asia – who reckons Apple will have a model of iPhone without a notch at all in 2020. Instead, the phone would rely on technology under the screen, in the form of a fingerprint reader for TouchID and a camera for Face ID.
Said analyst then suggests that the following year will see all three 2021 iPhones follow the 2020 flagship design, with the notch confined to the past.
While both these reports come firmly under the heading of “rumour”, it would be astonishing if Apple wasn’t looking to phase out the notch. It has been an unpopular design choice from the get go, even if plenty of Android manufacturers have followed suit after Apple made it mainstream.
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We know the notch is there for technical reasons, and it stands to reason that it’ll be gone as soon as the technical hurdles are cleared. The only question is when it can be replaced with something that’s both user friendly and reliable. Hopefully the three-year timeline quoted here is reasonable, and the notch will only be a three-to-four generation calling card for Apple handsets.
Does the notch bother you, or are you used to it now? Let us know what you think on Twitter: @TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.