Notch in smartphones: that brings the recess
Apple has been using thin display bezels and a notch in the middle for years. In the meantime, most other manufacturers are also trying to reduce the display margin and only install one notch. In this article we clarify exactly what the latter is and what you need the Notch for.
Notch on the smartphone - that's the reason
Since Apple introduced the iPhone X in 2017, the term Notch has spread widely. Smartphone manufacturers try to keep the display margins smaller and smaller in order to offer the largest possible display. However, this is only possible to a limited extent in the upper area of the smartphone, since there are important hardware elements.
- In addition to various sensors and the earpiece, you will also find the front camera in this area. Without Notch, the camera lens in particular would be difficult to fit on the front of the cell phone.
- By the way: The term "Notch" comes from the English and means something like "notch". The notch is therefore a notch in the cell phone display.
Advantages of a notch on a smartphone
A notch offers many advantages that can currently only be implemented technically in this way.
- Spread of the display in all corners: Even if it appears as if a notch is a notch in the display, it is more a notch of the display around the notch. This means that larger screen diagonals are possible without the entire device having to be larger.
- Space next to the notch: the screen portion obtained is used by most smartphone manufacturers to display system and notification symbols as well as the time and battery level. Since these elements appear next to the notch, they no longer take up valuable space from the rectangular main part of the display.
- Gesture options: The subdivision of the upper edge of the iPhone X or iPhone XS into a right and left part enables two different gestures. A swipe from top to bottom left of the Notch opens the notification center, while a swipe to the right of the Notch opens the control center.
Disadvantages of a notch
Although the Notch mainly brings advantages because it is accompanied by an enlarged display, there is always criticism of the element.
- Full screen mode : If you want to view a photo or video in full screen mode, for example, the notch covers part of the image. This can be very annoying at times.
- Non-compatible apps : Since the notch has not yet been widely used and Android devices in particular have different notches, many apps are not yet compatible with the notch. For example, one or the other app may not be able to use the area next to the notch, or the app may be partially covered by the notch.
Notch: Are there any alternatives?
If you want to buy a smartphone with a large display, but you don't like the notch on devices like the iPhone, there are alternatives. They prove that the display can also be enlarged in other ways.
- Dispensing with a notch : Devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S9 show that the display edges can be reduced significantly without a notch forming. But there remains a small margin above the display.
- Very small Notch : Smartphones like the Essential Phone show that the Notch can be reduced so much that it is hardly noticeable. This enables a large display without the notch having the disadvantages mentioned above.
- No notch ... and no edge either : Some smartphone manufacturers have thought about how to achieve the goal of a 100 percent display. Devices like the Vivo Nex and the Oppo Find X have hidden the front camera. The motorized front camera rises when the camera app is opened, thus enabling a borderless display.
If you want to keep the status bar next to the notch as tidy as possible, you can deactivate the notifications under Android.