According to a report, Apple could finally be ready to ditch the largely unpopular, but largely necessary display notch when they iPhone 12 handsets roll around in 2020.
Patents spied by Let’s Go Digital appears to the suggest that the next-generation handsets will remove the unsightly cut-out debuted on the iPhone X in 2017. The patents, filed in Japan and published on throughout December this year, could reveal the possibility of a largely bezel-free iPhone in 2020.
However, given the wide notch currently houses all of the sensors necessary for Apple’s Face ID biometric security platform to operate, the future of the feature would be unclear should Apple ditch the cut out.
It could be that Apple has perfected under-screen cameras in time for the next generation iPhones. It could also be that the company is planning to revert to a Touch ID, ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, such as the ones included in the most recent Samsung flagship phones.
According to the report, Apple has mastered both! It reads:
Apple Inc filed a patent in Japan for a new smartphone design without a notch and without Face ID. Instead the new iPhone incorporates an in-display fingerprint sensor and an under-screen camera.
The likes of Xiaomi and Oppo have demonstrated under-display cameras in 2019, but the tech is not thought to be at the accuracy level of Apple’s watertight Face ID platform.
Image credit: Let’s Go Digital
It’s also possible that this patent isn’t actually related to the iPhone 12 after all, but the rumoured iPhone SE 2, which would rock said under-display fingerprint sensor, without sacrificing Face ID as a flagship feature on the main devices in the range.
The iPhone SE 2 is expected in early 2020, while the iPhone 12 probably won’t arrive until September 2020 if historical convention is adhered to.
What are you hoping for with the iPhone SE 2 and iPhone 12 in 2020? Let us know @trustedreviews on Twitter.
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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.