Report: iPhone Notch Won’t Get Smaller Until 2020

Source: Reddit

The iPhone will retain its huge notch until 2020, when versions with a much smaller notch—or no notch all—will finally arrive.

That’s according to reliable TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who told investors Wednesday that the front camera on the 2020 iPhone could use an “ultra-small front lens [that will] significantly improve the screen ratio.” This will result in a long-overdue exterior redesign of the product that will include a much smaller or no notch. The 2020 iPhones could also feature a rear camera with 7 lenses, he says.

Apple is planning a similarly big change for 2021, when the iPhone could drop support for Face ID entirely and move to an in-display fingerprint reader instead.

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In keeping with Apple’s slow forward progress, these are changes that its major competitors have already made. The OnePlus 7 Pro, for example, features a true no-bezel and no-notch “all-display” design and utilizes a reliable and accurate in-display fingerprint reader today.

But multiple reports have suggested that Apple’s display suppliers are already working on notchless displays for Apple, just in case. And that means the consumer electronics giant could surprise customers with a true “all-display” design as soon as this year.

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Conversation 23 comments

  • proesterchen

    11 July, 2019 - 8:47 am

    <p>Can't wait for this 3- to 5-year detour to ugly town to end!</p>

  • fishnet37222

    Premium Member
    11 July, 2019 - 8:58 am

    <p>They could offer both Face ID and Touch ID like Samsung does with the Galaxy S10. Give people some options for once.</p>

    • jbinaz

      11 July, 2019 - 1:09 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#441163">In reply to fishnet37222:</a></em></blockquote><p>Apple will tell you what you like, and you'll like it, damn it! ;)</p>

  • zorb56

    Premium Member
    11 July, 2019 - 9:13 am

    <p>Dropping Face ID? That doesn't sound Apple-like.</p>

  • glenn8878

    11 July, 2019 - 9:43 am

    <p>This means I can buy it in 2 years. </p>

  • csalese

    11 July, 2019 - 10:14 am

    <p>Having both would be great if Apple can manage to allow you to choose one or implement both for an additional layer of security.</p>

  • MikeGalos

    11 July, 2019 - 10:32 am

    <p>Reports have also been saying that Apple is producing an in-display fingerprint reader iPhone without Face ID for the Chinese market as a cost saving for late 2019 release.</p>

    • Winner

      11 July, 2019 - 3:22 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#441188">In reply to MikeGalos:</a></em></blockquote><p>IMHO FaceID is very cool technology but only for technology's sake:</p><ul><li>Adds an ugly notch</li><li>Notch raises display panel prices due to complexity</li><li>Adds hardware cost for exotic hardware</li><li>Not as fast as fp sensor</li><li>Needs physical alignment to face to even work</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Why all of the above when a fingerprint sensor is faster and cheaper and avoids a notch?</p>

      • BrianEricFord

        11 July, 2019 - 9:36 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#441265">In reply to Winner:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>I disagree with the assertion that fingerprint censors are faster and I also think almost no one who isn’t posting comments about it on the internet cares in the slightest about the notch.</p>

        • skane2600

          12 July, 2019 - 5:08 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#441336">In reply to BrianEricFord:</a></em></blockquote><p>While it's logical to conclude that the only people who care about the notch (in a negative sense) are those who have a problem with it, it's not necessarily the case that most of them complain on the Internet about it. Thus if it were somehow possible to count every internet complaint about the notch, it wouldn't be possible to figure out what percentage of customers had a problem with it.</p>

  • jwpear

    Premium Member
    11 July, 2019 - 10:42 am

    <p>Hard to believe it will take Apple another year to get rid of the notch and two to bring an in-display fingerprint reader. </p>

  • red.radar

    Premium Member
    11 July, 2019 - 1:23 pm

    <p>Hard to imagine that Apple will sunset Face-ID for an inscreen finger print reader. They made such a big deal about how more secure face id is. It will be interesting to see them eat crow and walk that one back if they decide to go that route. </p><p><br></p><p>However touch-id is simpler and cheaper to produce. and with smartphones becoming a comodity and AR emoji just being a gimmick… I see the retreat to touch-id to likely occur. </p>

  • stevek

    11 July, 2019 - 1:56 pm

    <p>I hope they don't get rid of FaceID as that actually works for me; and touch id never works for me…due to poor finger circulation and living in a cold climate.</p>

  • dontbe evil

    11 July, 2019 - 2:28 pm

    <p>So next iphone will have a beautiful notch</p><p><br></p><p>And next next iphone will have a beautiful no notch design</p><p><br></p><p>According to apple and its fan boys</p>

  • orbsitron

    11 July, 2019 - 3:06 pm

    <p>I'd love an iPhone with no (or minimal) notch for Face-ID as well as an in-display or rear fingerprint reader for Touch-ID. Apple is quite minimalist so it may never materialize, but I would really love a phone that offers both. </p><p><br></p><p>Regardless, my Galaxy S8 is getting a bit long in the tooth and I have despised the phone since I first got it (it's on loan from work so I can't complain and haven't been able to justify spending a ton on an iPhone). Here are the things that drive me crazy:</p><p><br></p><p>1) The hardware Bixby button. While I've installed software overrides, Samsung stomps on those with each firmware update.</p><p>2) The lack of a hardware ringer control (huge fan of that on my wife's iPhone)</p><p>3) Several Android apps all treat notifications differently – some pop persistent circles up to the top of z-order such that the circle gets in the way of anything I'm interacting with on the OS or in an app!! Insane and so frustrating.</p><p>4) Google Translate also pops one of those persistent circles up whenever I copy text it thinks warrants translation (99% of the time, it's not something I want to translate and now instead of being able to paste what I copied, I have to dismiss this annoying circle)</p><p>5) Google Maps having different minimize and close metaphors than every other app on the system, such that if I am using directions, when I mean to switch to another app, I can't because the directions are in the way. My only option is to close the directions, which I know I'll need to come back to a moment later. When I do get back to Google Maps, I have to restart the directions.</p><p>6) All of the reports of privacy settings being either outright disrespected or buggy (the shared SDK story comes to mind) on Android recently</p><p>7) When I go to switch apps, Samsung UI offers the ability to open apps side by side, which I never use, yet it offers it every time.</p><p>8) Samsung's apps for Messaging, Phone, Settings, etc. are all pretty poor. Messaging for example requires me to dive into a menu to search my contacts after I start authoring a message. They even have a search in the To: line of the author screen but it doesn't search _all_ of my contacts, only some (and crazily not any of the ones for which I've had a recent conversation). Why not search all my contacts everwhere contacts search is offered??? Phone app and Settings have similarly crazy design decisions.</p><p>9) Samsung settings are a subset of Android settings so various things I _should_ be able to configure, I can't. Thanks, Samsung.</p><p><br></p><p>There are more annoyances that plague me literally every day but those are the ones that come to mind. Some of them are Samsung's doing. Some are Google's (Android features). Many of them I could work around given Android's flexibility but a) I don't want to spend time working around things, I want a device that just works, which Apple does better than anyone at the moment… and b) some of the most niggling, like the hardware button I accidentally hit 3 times per day or the inability to use WiFi Calling because Samsung only supports it with AT&amp;T on this device despite the fact that the device can do it with any carrier that supports WiFi Calling…. is all infuriating. </p><p><br></p><p>This holiday I'll be moving to an iPhone. Just not sure which until Apple announces their lineup as I'll be buying that device. Again, <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I'd love an iPhone with no (or minimal) notch for Face-ID as well as an in-display or rear fingerprint reader for Touch-ID. </span></p>

    • Winner

      11 July, 2019 - 3:20 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#441248">In reply to orbsitron:</a></em></blockquote><p>I bought an S8 a couple of years ago and kept it a few days and returned it, paying the restocking fee. Hated it.</p><p>For me the biggest items were:</p><ul><li>bixby button (as you mentioned)</li><li>Samsung software bloat and general UI</li><li>The FP reader small and finicky. Use a Pixel to learn what a good FP reader is and how fast and reliable it can be</li></ul>

  • nfeed2000t

    11 July, 2019 - 5:53 pm

    <p>My Pixel 3 XL has the biggest notch, and I don't care. I read this entire article on my phone and my eyes track the middle of the phone to the bottom. </p><p>I do love the two great selfie cameras located (standard and wide angle) within the notch.</p><p>#TempestInATeaPot</p>

  • skane2600

    11 July, 2019 - 7:00 pm

    <p>"iPhone Notch Won’t Get Smaller Until 2020"</p><p><br></p><p>You see there's this timer inside the phone and when Jan 1, 2020 rolls around …</p>

  • brettscoast

    Premium Member
    11 July, 2019 - 7:04 pm

    <p>Apple really is moving at a glacial pace on new iphones assuming the next models will support 5G also</p>

    • PeterC

      13 July, 2019 - 3:11 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#441301">In reply to brettscoast:</a></em></blockquote><p>Yup, they’re getting real slow. It’s interesting however that some bits of iPhone development aren’t slow though. Apples A series chips are very impressive, yet they’re modem choices hasn’t played out well for a variety of reasons.</p><p><br></p><p>Maybe though what we’re really seeing here is that consumers pay attention to the design look of the device, and maybe consumers are judging innovation by a devices design? Rather than internal developments, maybe. Chinese brands are delivering manufacturing design innovation that users want and can respond far quicker than US brands appear able to do. </p><p><br></p><p>I think my point, if I have one, is that Chinese brands regardless of what you feel about them have all rapidly accelerated design innovation through manufacturing techniques a lot faster than US brands, who predominately outsource manufacturing, striving for ever increased profit margins and share price value etc. In my opinion share price and profit hunting by many western brands senior executive teams has led to some spectacular complacency in product offerings. The same issue isn’t affecting Chinese brands…….</p>

  • locust infested orchard inc

    13 July, 2019 - 9:43 pm

    <p>Prior to Sir Jony Ive parting with his former employer, here is a reconstruction of a conversation that at some point in time surely must have occurred:</p><p><br></p><p>Tim Cook: Right folks, I've taken the unilateral decision to have the engineering marvel of the much-loved notch, by our beloved passionate fan-base, to be carried in our 2019 phones – the third generation to have the glorious notch !!</p><p><br></p><p>Sir Jony Ive: I absolutely resent the continuation of the notched design. Having designed numerous elegant improvements, in concert with our engineering team, my…our design philosophy invokes a considerable leap in setting the design trend which no doubt will be adopted and mimicked by other handset manufacturers, notably by the numerous nimble Chinese companies.</p><p><br></p><p>Our next iPhone [2019] could potentially break the existing mold of our current crop of poorly designed phones. We have immense engineering excellence and talent to bring my beautifully crafted design to life, but it requires the vision and leadership of you Tim [Cook] to make this happen. Are you onboard with this bold manoeuvre ?</p><p><br></p><p>Tim Cook: No. Not interested. The notch lives. Go shove your design up my arse.</p><p><br></p><p>So the 2019 iPhone design has been decided upon. I can't wait to have our fan-base queuing up, as they typically do in their droves, outside Apple Stores come September for the latest iPhone. They've all become fond of the notch, hence we'll give 'em more of the same, but with an escalated price. We're running a business not an arty-farty art gallery – profits before design.</p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Sir Jony Ive: Tim, your autocratic style of governance is loathsome and doesn't inspire people, such as myself, who have a vast underlying creativity. So for that reason I'm tendering my resignation with immediate effect.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Tim, go f*** yourself, you a$$hole.</span></p>

  • Fuller1754

    14 July, 2019 - 9:54 pm

    <p>Hopefully the 2020 iPhone has no notch, so that all the Android handset OEMs that seem to copy Apple's "innovations" for some reason will finally follow suit and shove off the notches they never should have had, in exchange for clean, full-screen devices.</p>

  • Fuller1754

    14 July, 2019 - 9:57 pm

    <p>By the way, the concept image at the top of this article with a full-screen <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">(i.e., notchless)</span> display on the iPhone look really great. Much better than the current design.</p>

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