Apple issues notch ultimatum to developers − support must arrive by July
Apple is getting strict about notch support with an announcement that all apps submitted to the App Store after July 2018 should be built with the iOS 11 SDK and “must support the Super Retina display of iPhone X”.
The announcement, as reported by The Register, means that Apple is effectively mandating support for the ‘notch’, the small dent in the top of the iPhone X’s screen that houses its front-facing camera and microphone.
The move was inevitable at some point, and should prove to be a massive benefit for iPhone X users who often find that apps aren’t optimised to take advantage of the extra screen real-estate to the left and right of the notch.
It will mean that apps without notch-compatibility will no longer have their App updates accepted on the store, and that non-compatible apps will slowly disappear from the store.
Notch trickle-down
Of course, the move has led to rumours that Apple might be planning on bringing the notch to more handsets.
The latest iPhone 2018 rumours point towards three handsets coming this year. A new 5.1-inch OLED device in the same vein as the iPhone X, a 6.5-inch OLED device (an iPhone X Plus), and a 6.1-inch LCD handset to sit between them in size. All three phones could potentially come equipped with a screen notch.
Of course, every month brings yet more rumours of the iPhone SE2, which we’re (currently) expecting to be the only one of Apple’s 2018 phones to not come sporting the new screen shape.
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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.
