A Fresh Report from DigiTimes: Apple's Notch Minimization Efforts

Everyone's favorite rumor site, DigiTimes, has just released a fresh report that reveals Apple is once again working on minimizing the notch on their upcoming iPhone 13. This news comes as ZTE ships its first phone with no mechanical tutorial or punch hole, opting instead for an under-display camera system that still raises some concerns about image quality.

An Updated Look at Apple's iPhone 13 Options

As we eagerly wait for more information on Apple's iPhone 13 options, it's clear that the company has been working hard to improve their design and minimize the notch. Sponsored by SkillShare, our latest coverage of Apple's iPhone 13 options is just around the corner, so be sure to hit that subscribe button and bell to stay informed.

The Evolution of Notch Design

When Apple wanted to take the modern iPhone 10 design full screen, they had to make significant changes. They deleted the bezels, home button, and Touch ID, a move that was both bold and necessary. By doing so, Apple aimed to create a more seamless user experience while also making it harder for other companies to copy their design. The plans were not just subtle but have been subtly hinted at through years of beta tests.

The Impact of Depth Sensing Camera

One of the key components that made it possible for Apple to pursue a full-screen design was the development of depth sensing cameras. This technology allowed for features like augmented reality, which requires precise depth information. However, this also meant that Apple needed an infrared camera, a flood illuminator, and a dot projector as well. The combination of these technologies resulted in a wide, wide screen, which is exactly what we see on the iPhone 13.

Why Apple Chose to Emphasize the Notch

So, why did Apple decide to embrace the notch instead of opting for a forehead or another design solution? According to the narrator, it was because they wanted to create something distinctive and iconic. The status bar now shows up in the corners, making the screen appear even more expansive. However, this also meant that Apple spent a significant amount of engineering resources on sub-pixel masking and LCD around the notch.

The Notch: A Necessary Evil?

While some people may prefer the notch to be eliminated entirely, it's clear that Apple has put a lot of effort into minimizing its impact. By doing so, they've created a unique design element that sets their devices apart from others in the market. Whether or not this is an improvement over a traditional forehead design depends on individual preferences.

SAMSUNG'S FULL-SCREEN APPROACH

Samsung took a different approach when it came to designing full-screen devices. Unlike Apple, Samsung never got into multi-array face ID-style biometrics and has only used single RGB cameras. This led them to create designs that are more focused on cutting out areas around the camera rather than creating a seamless edge-to-edge display.

The Display: Edge to Edge

While Samsung's approach may not be perfect, it has resulted in displays that are truly edge-to-edge without any visible cutouts or notches. The narrator notes that this is particularly noticeable at the top of the screen, where Apple could have potentially gone for a similar design but chose not to. However, unlike Samsung, Apple would need to make significant changes to their camera hardware to avoid creating cutouts for the dot projector, flood illuminator, and infrared camera.

Mechanical Tutors: A Solution with Drawbacks

Other companies have resorted to mechanical tutors to address the issue of notches and hole punches. These devices pop the front-facing cameras up and down or spin them around to capture images. However, this approach has its drawbacks, particularly when it comes to water resistance and potential points of mechanical failure.

The Future of Notch Design: Under-Display Cameras

ZTE has recently shipped its first phone with an under-display camera system, a technology that involves paving the camera over with pixels and shrinking them down to create a path for light to reach the sensors. However, this approach still raises concerns about image quality, as Michael Fisher points out in his Mr. Mobile video. The use of machine learning is necessary to extract usable images from the sensor.

Conclusion

As we wait for more information on Apple's iPhone 13 options and their notch minimization efforts, it's clear that the company has been working hard to improve its design. While some people may prefer a forehead or other design solution, it's likely that the notch will continue to be an integral part of Apple's devices in the future. Only time will tell if under-display cameras become the new standard for notches and how they impact image quality.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- {Narrator} So there's afresh report out of DigiTimes.Everyone's favorite randomlyaccurate rumor site,saying Apple is once againworking on minimizing the notch,this time for the iPhone 13.Meanwhile, ZTE is to ship the first phonewith no nightmare of a notch,no punch hole, no foreheadno mechanical tutor,just no, nothing, nothingbut with the dream, an actualunder display camera systemthat's still kind of a nightmare.Either way, anyway, I figured it was timefor an updated look atApple's iPhone 13 optionsand how close we are to truly finally ,really deleting the notch.And I've got a ton of iPhone13 coverage coming your way.So make sure you hit thatsubscribe button and bell.So you don't miss any of it.Now let's do this.Sponsored by SKillSHare.When Apple wanted totake the modern iPhone 10design full screen, theyhad to delete the bezelsthe home button andtouch ID along with it.And sure they could have movedtouch ID to the Apple logoon the back of the phone orthe power button where they'vesince just shipped it on the iPad air fourbut Apple just didn'twant more of the same.They wanted better,more transparent, harderfor other companies, frankly,to copy and also in linewith AR augmented reality,the plans they've justnot so subtly been having usall beta tests now for years.So Apple went with a depthsensing camera ray, true depthbut that meant instead of justa single RGB selfie cameralike most other phones on the marketApple also needed an infraredcamera, a flood illuminatorand a dot projector aswell, throw in the earpieceand you have just wide.Wide like the enterpriseD wide of notches.Now Apple could havestuck with a forehead.They had cling on sized foreheadsin all the iPhones fromthe original to the eightand even the current iPhone SE.It would have preventeda full-on cornered arounda corner display and removed a small,a very small amount of usable pixelsbut also would have removedthe cosmetic abomination.That is the notch, whichafter having the bathtub of all notcheson the pixel three is whatGoogle did with the pixel fourwhich I think is theonly other phone to everfield a really face ID likefacial geometry scanner.But Apple wanted to marketcorner to corner foolish screenfor the display.So he decided to embracethe notch to make itsomething distinctive, even iconic.Literally the iconsshow the status bar allup into the corners and makeit look even more expansive.So they spent a ton, a tonof engineering resourceson things like sub pixelmasking to cut first Owletand then LCD around the notch.They didn't do it for themodern iPad pro with face ID.The one that only kindof Thanos snapped away, half the bezels.So no notch needed justforeheads all the way aroundbut with the iPhone, it sure seemslike the forehead was justnever going to be an optionand never will be again.Samsung did full screen different.They never got into multi-arrayface ID style biometrics.So they've only ever had todeal with that single RGB cameraor for a brief period oftime, dual RGB cameras.So Samsung literally cut the screenaround that single or dualRGB camera like hole punchesand they just it'sgotten better and tighterat doing that year after year.That let the display gonot just corner to corner,but truly edge to edge.Even at the top, Apple couldgo with some things similarbut unlike Samsung, theywould have what's the dealwith more than just thoseone or two RGB cameras.They'd have to have cutoutsfor the dot projector,the flood illuminator andthe infrared camera as well.And while subjectively,some people might prefer itin sort of an enter thespider verse kind of waylike the Mac pro case kind ofway objectively it's no betteror worse than a notch.To just avoid notchesand hole punches entirely andget that full on full screen.Other companies have resortedto mechanical tutors.What popped the frontfacing cameras up and downor just spin them around.But no matter howfast a mechanical tutor, tuches is justnever going to be as fastas a camera that requireszero, tuchins, whatever.Also mechanical parts.Aren't great for waterresistance, but are terrificat being potential pointsof mechanical failure.Apple, hasn't gone to all the troubleof deleting the homebutton, the headphone Jackand soon maybe the lightningport just to hop a pop-upon top.Meanwhile, ZTE has justshipped the first phonewith an under display camera.Basically just what it sounds like,they paved the camera overwith pixels then shrunkand spread those pixels out to tryand clear a path for lightto get to the sensors.Sort of, kind of, I mean,it's not great, not yet.There's enough interferencethat they have touse machine learning to tryand extract a usable image.And even then it's not really that usableor as Michael Fisher points outin his Mr. Mobile video,\"Even that hidden at times.\"And I can only imaginewhat it would look likeif Apple would be pavingover all for face ID modelsand not just that one camera.If it matures fast,in a few years, come iPhone14 or iPhone 15, who knowsbut for now, it's justnot ready for prime time.At least not at anythingapproach iPhone scale.So yeah, that leaves uswith the DigiTimes rumor.And a rumor Jon Prosser fromfront page tech has reportedon previously as well, that Apple has beenand continues to prototypea notchless iPhoneas in less of a notch.They do that by movingsome of the componentslike the receiver higherup, or maybe even to the topor a placing them withphysical acoustical componentslike the under display phones necessitate.So that the face ID truedepth system proper canthen be just sort of condensed,compressed closer together.It's still a notch.It's just not as much of anotch if the rumors proved true.And I wish, I wish I could justanimate this better for you.Like how Evan animatesall his Polymatter videosbut he has this wholeclass where he shows youhow to make an animatedYouTube video it's intendedas an introduction but like he says,\"By the end of the course, you\"could have your first animatedvideo uploaded to YouTube.\"And if first-person videoslike this are more your grooveAli Abdaal's class on videoediting was final cut pro 10from beginner to YouTuber,will get you started, right.So if you're stuck athome for the holidaysand you've always wanted togive this sort of thing, a trythere's just no better time to tryespecially with SKillSHarebecause it isn't just oneclass, even several classesit's an online learningcommunity that offers membershipwith meaning and withan annual subscriptionthat's less than $10 a month.You can learn illustration,design, photographyvideo freelancing, and morewith real projects to create.And the support of real fellow creativesmore than 7 million of uslearning with SKillSHare.And the first 1000of you who click on thelink in the descriptionwill get a free trialof SKillSHare premium.Yeah, Free.So act now and start learning today.And clicking on that linkreally helps out the channel.For more on the iPhone13, click the playlistabove all the leaks, allthe rumors, all the analysisjust click the playlist aboveand I'll see you in the next video.\n"