The Humble Notch: A Solution That Still Feels Right

Hey guys, this is Austin. All the way back in 2017, Essential introduced the notch. With it, they were able to take the screen and stretch it all the way to the edges, essentially getting rid of the bezel as we know it, unless you count the chin, but well.

Then we had the iPhone X, XS, and XR, all of which brought the notch to a much bigger size. Now from there, pretty much all of last year's full phones are absolutely loaded with notches. You had big notches, small notches, teardrop notches; I mean, they're everywhere.

But now we have the savior, the hole-punch display with the Galaxy S10. Here, instead of a notch, they have the front-facing cameras surrounded by the rest of the display. However, is this really the future we want?

So even though it looks simple on the surface, there's a lot going on to make a hole-punch display work. First of all, you need to be able to cut out the actual display itself, as opposed to a notch. But importantly, it does limit a little bit about what you can fit there.

For example, with the Galaxy S10 and the S10+, you can get one or two front-facing cameras, but besides that, things like the fingerprint sensor need to be pushed to below the display and some of the other things like the ambient and light sensors are actually underneath the screen itself.

Now sure, there are definitely other approaches. The Oppo Find X definitely comes to mind as it brings an entirely mechanical operation to the front-facing camera, so you don't have any kind of notch. However, as cool as this is, I'm not totally convinced that the mechanical approaches are really going to make any big difference.

The humble notch actually still feels like a better solution for most phones. Now the actual looks of the hole-punch display are definitely up to you. Personally, I do appreciate how small it is, so you don't have any extra space being used. But that being said, at least a notch is symmetrical; usually on top.

The thing with the hole-punch, though, is that it's always off to the side corner, which means that it can look a little bit odd, specifically in video, where you have essentially a bunch of dead pixels, which can be kind of off to the side. It's certainly not the end of the world, and I do think a lot of people will like the look of the hole-punch.

But as far as I'm concerned, you are giving up a lot by leaving out some of that room for those extra sensors. One of the cool parts about this is that both of these systems enable much more secure facial unlock. Some phones, including the Essential and including a lot of phones, such as the Galaxy S10, do have an RGB-based sensor, but it's actually a lot easier to fool since it's essentially just a front-facing camera.

When you have all these extra sensors and all these projectors, it does mean that Face ID goes from being something that's kind of cool, but not really all that useful, if you care about security at least, to something that you can use absolutely every day without worrying. The notch makes it a lot easier to integrate these features, and that's something that you really can't do with the hole-punch display, at least not yet.

We are seeing movement toward getting more and more features underneath the screen. Because the Galaxy S10 already has some sensors, including the fingerprint sensor underneath, I think it's only a matter of time before you don't even need that hole-punch and the camera can be directly underneath. However, for right now, when you go for the hole-punch display, it means that you typically are giving up some of the stuff like secure face unlock.

There are advantages to the hole-punch display, namely the fact that it doesn't look quite so ugly as a notch. However, there are definitely trade-offs associated with going with that. So I'm sure we will see a ton more of these hole-punches throughout the year, but as far as I'm concerned, the humble notch doesn't necessarily have an expiration date just yet.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- Hey guys, this is Austin.All the way back in 2017,Essential introduced the notch.With it, they were able to take the screenand stretch it all the way to the edges,essentially getting rid ofthe bezel as we know it,unless you count the chin, but well.Then we had the iPhone X, XS and XR,all of which bring the notchto a much, much bigger size.Now from there, pretty muchall of last year's full of phones,they are absolutely loaded with notches.You had big notches, smallnotches, teardrop notches,I mean, they're everywhere.But now we have the savior,the hole-punch displaywith the Galaxy S10.Here, instead of a notch, theyhave the front-facing camerasurrounded by the rest of the display.However, is this reallythe future we want?So even though it lookssimple on the surface,there's a lot going on to makea hole-punch display work.First of all, you need to be ableto cutout the actual displayitself, as opposed to a notch,but importantly, itdoes limit a little bitabout what you can fit there.For example, with theGalaxy S10 and the S10+,you can get one or twofront-facing cameras,but besides that, thingslike the fingerprint sensorneed to be pushed to below the displayand some of the other thingslike the ambient and the light sensorsare actually underneath the screen itself.Now sure, there aredefinitely other approaches,the Oppo Find X definitely comes to mindas it brings an entirelymechanical operationto the front-facing camera,so you don't have any kind of notch,but when you need the camera, it pops up,however, as cool as this is,I'm not totally convincedthe mechanical approachesare really going tomake any big difference.The humble notch actuallystill feels to melike a better solution for most phones.Now the actual looks ofthe hole-punch displayare definitely up to you.Now personally, I doappreciate how small it is,so you don't have anyextra space being used,but that being said, a notchat least is symmetrical,well usually on top.The thing with the hole-punch thoughis that it's alwaysoff to the side corner,which means that it canlook a little bit odd,specifically in video, where you haveessentially a bunch of dead pixels,which can be kind of off to the side.It's certainly not the end of the worldand I do think a lot of peoplewill like the look of the hole-punch,but as far as I'm concerned,you are giving up a lotby leaving the notch.For example, take a lookat the brand new LG G8,it has a pretty heftynotch and for good reason,they're packing a lot ofstuff into that space.In addition to the front-facing camera,they also have a pair of depth sensors,a transmitter, as well as a receiver.This opens up quite a few possibilities.Now first of all, you havemuch more secure Face IDand I'll get into that in a second,but you also have new technology,which is Hand ID (laughs).It's like the most LG thing ever, Hand ID,no not Face ID, not Fingerprint ID,you still have a fingerprintsensor, instead, what this doesis it uses that time-of-flight sensorto actually scan yourblood vessels in your hand.All you do is put yourhand over the phone,it will scan it for the first timeand supposedly, this is anincredibly secure thing,because I mean, you can spoof some things,but you can't spoof an entirehand full of blood vessels.I just find it hilariousthat we've come this far,that we've gone fromFace ID, had Touch ID,now we've got Vein ID (laughs).Now I mean, to be fair,you do still have the fingerprint sensor,so if you don't wanna use this,you definitely don't have toand it supports Face ID, but the thing is,it's cool to have thisstuff with the notch, right?If you don't have the notch,you can't fit all these extrasensors behind the display,or at least, you can't yet.Then there's facial recognition.Now Apple claims this is the reason whythey're notch has to be so bigand when you look at what allthey've crammed inside Face ID,well it kind of makes sense.You've got the front-facing camera,the light and proximitysensors, there's a flood cameraas well as a 3D dot projectorto get the actual 3Drepresentation of your face,there's also an IR camerato take a look at all of thisstuff, specifically at light,or well, in the light, I guessyou can use it at any timeand on top of that, there'salso a front-firing speaker,which doubles as your earpiece.That is a lot of thingsfor the little tiny notch.(cellphone bangs to the floor)That's fine.Now the G8 doesn't have all of this stuff,but you still do have theroom for those extra sensors,something that you can'tdo without a notch.Now one of the cool parts about thisis that both of these systems enablemuch, much more secure facial unlock.Now some phones, including the Essentialand including a lot of phones,such as the Galaxy S10,do have an RGB-based sensor,but it's actually a lot easier to fool,since it's essentiallyjust a front-facing camera.When you have all these extra sensorsand all these projectors, it does meanthat Face ID goes from beingsomething that's kind of cool,but not really all that useful,if you care about security at least,to something that you can useabsolutely everyday without worrying.The notch makes it a lot easierto integrate these featuresand that's somethingthat you really can't dowith the hole-punchdisplay, at least not yet.Now we are seeing movement towardgetting more and more featuresunderneath the screen.Because the Galaxy S10already has some sensors,including the fingerprintsensor underneath,I think it's only a matter of timebefore you don't even need that hole-punchand the camera can be directly underneath.However, for right now,when you go for the hole-punch display,it means that you typically are giving upsome of the stuff likethe secure face unlock.Now there are advantagesto the hole-punch display,namely the factthat it doesn't lookquite so ugly as a notch,however, there are definitely trade-offsassociated with going with that.So I'm sure we will see a tonmore of these hole-punchesthroughout the year, butas far as I'm concerned,the humble notch doesn't necessarilyhave an expiration date just yet.(light hip hop music)