All iPads Would you like an iPad with no bezel?

Mad Mac Maniac · Jan 25, 2013

This rumor about the thinner full sized iPad with no bezel on the side and only a minimal bezel on the top and bottom (for camera and home button) got me thinking... I don't think we are too far away from the possibility of having zero bezel what-so-ever on an iPad. There are only 3 main problems that I can think of, and I think they all could be resolved.

1) You're holding it wrong.
How can you hold something with no bezel?!? Well I think the iPad mini has shown us that it is possible. iPad has already implemented software in iOS to ignore accidental touching on the edges. Also the iPad mini is so small and light already that it's extremely easy to hold it from the sides, or at least with very minimal touching on the screen. And lastly I think Apple could/should make the back side more "grippy" so that someone could more easily lay the thing on an open palm and it wouldn't slide. This obviously works better on the mini, but if the full ipad became as thin and (nearly) as light as the mini then I think it would be possible for it as well.

2) Where's the FaceTime?
What about the camera? Well, I don't know how close we are to this possibility from an engineering standpoint but as of July 2007 Apple had been thinking about putting camera's behind displays. This would obviously be a huge improvement for both FaceTime and self pictures.

3) Send me home!
I know, I know. There have been many (obviously false) rumors about Apple taking away the home button, but it could certainly be done if Apple ever decided to pull the switch. We already have the multitouch gestures, the sleep/wake button and smartcovers can be used for activating the screen, and I am confident that Apple can figure out a way to perform screenshots... even if it means putting another button (camera shutter? customizable quick key?) on the side of the iPad.

I think personally it's a no brainer for the mini. It would be an absolutely awesome device. And I honestly do think that the full iPad could work too, although I admit I'm less convinced.

saving107 · Jan 25, 2013

You're over thinking this.

maccompatible · Jan 25, 2013

saving107 said:
You're over thinking this.

You're under thinking this.

Tsepz · Jan 25, 2013

It would look awesome, but usability wise, I'm not sure, hopefully the Apple designers and engineers will work it out.

Making the back and sides more 'grippy' would certainly help a lot, and making the edges more rounded will make it very palm friendly and comfortable to hold for long periods.

What they could do is round off the display at the edges like Samsung did with the GS3 or what Nokia did with the Lumia 920, and give it a no bezel, floating screen effect, that would be incredible.

palpatine · Jan 25, 2013

No home button? Works fine on Android. This challenge has been overcome. I don't care about the bezel, and I really don't get the hue and cry by people who obsess about it. If Apple ought to be doing anything, it would be working on iOS 7, but something tells me they are going to continue to keep us locked into their way of using the devices.

kenitox · Jan 25, 2013

How about an L-shaped bezel and nothing on the remaining two sides? It would decrease the size of the iPad substantially with no practical sacrifice.

flavr · Jan 25, 2013

no bezel would be fine...problem is when i hold my iPad mini gripping the screen depending on the angle sometimes it creates pressure and distorts the lcd screen image (which cant be good for it). if they go this route they need to strengthen the screen so it can support being held...

Spink10 · Jan 25, 2013

Remove the bezel - smaller - lighter - o yeah! Then maybe I will upgrade.

luqtotheman · Jan 25, 2013

I'm not sure, I'd have to see and use it.

I like the bezel how it is and the back on the current ipad 4. Thinner would be good enough for me.

smileyface · Jan 25, 2013

If I was designing the ipad,I would eliminate bezels but keep the option of having bezels by reducing the display size when you want it.The best of both worlds.

I would retain the current width and height and have an 11.5in ipad with no bezels but back to 9.7in display when you want bezels.

mrsir2009 · Jan 25, 2013

flavr said:
no bezel would be fine...problem is when i hold my iPad mini gripping the screen depending on the angle sometimes it creates pressure and distorts the lcd screen image (which cant be good for it). if they go this route they need to strengthen the screen so it can support being held...

Making the screen stronger shouldn't be a problem - Pressing my finger down really hard on my Galaxy Tab screen there's no distortion or bending :

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smileyface said:
If I was designing the ipad,I would eliminate bezels but keep the option of having bezels by reducing the display size when you want it.The best of both worlds.

I would retain the current width and height and have an 11.5in ipad with no bezels but back to 9.7in display when you want bezels.

Best idea ever.

kaylerrific · Jan 25, 2013

I think the iPad would have to get a lot lighter in order to do away with the bezels. I love mine, but it does get heavy. It'd be really hard to hold without the current bezels in place.

Abazigal · Jan 25, 2013

I am personally fine with these sort of things so long as they do not pose any sort of unforeseen problems. How might docking it in a bluetooth keyboard rack work? Will we see issues like a small bottom part of the screen being obscured by the groove?

Or what about tablet casings which grip the edges, or sleeves that cover the bezel? Won't they end up blocking the screen as well? Manufacturers will definitely have to rethink their designs.

I find I am using the multitouch gestures way more often than the home button, so I doubt I will miss its omission too much.

I would probably be more comfortable with a reduced bezel like the ipad mini.

Mad Mac Maniac · Jan 26, 2013

smileyface said:
I would retain the current width and height and have an 11.5in ipad with no bezels but back to 9.7in display when you want bezels.

hmmm... how does the 9.7" display compare with the full size of the mini?

Because I'm thinking that if your idea were implemented it would work better with completely eliminating the bezel on the 9.7" iPad, but then when you want bezels it shrinks the screen to the 7.9" size.

lympero · Jan 26, 2013

I like the bezel but I would love a new design so I don't mind!

Hosei · Jan 27, 2013

It sounds like another innovation Apple will hopefully accomplish.

charlituna · Jan 27, 2013

Mad Mac Maniac said:
2) Where's the FaceTime?
3) Send me home!

I think there will always be a small bezel around all 4 sides (for docking and for the light sensors and front mic) but it could probably be reduced (the bezel on my full sized ipad is twice the width my thumbs cover if I'm holding it for example). The above two issues would be the big ones in making it work.

IF they get to the point of having the front facing camera under the display and centered that would conquer that one.

As for the home button they could go with a combo of the multitouch gestures (even including perhaps something like a 5 finger double tap to take a screen shot) and either a smaller lozenge style button in the reduced bezel or even move it to the side either as it's down button or mapped to something like pushing both sides/buttons on the volume control at the same time for the 'home button' for things like hard restarts (when paired with the sleep wake). or even just map it so that if you keep holding the sleep button after the slider comes up that's a hard restart. and perhaps either a 'gesture/tap' for starting siri or that's what the up and down volume at the same time triggers. or both

it would also help if there was a way to make the system recognize a finger or thumb that is brushing the screen because it is holding the device rather than actually using it. Same with 'resting palm' issues. That is without developers have to build in dead zones themselves.

Bloodraw850 · Jan 27, 2013

It would look good but it's not practical

smileyface · Jan 28, 2013

Mad Mac Maniac said:
hmmm... how does the 9.7" display compare with the full size of the mini?

Because I'm thinking that if your idea were implemented it would work better with completely eliminating the bezel on the 9.7" iPad, but then when you want bezels it shrinks the screen to the 7.9" size.

That configuration might be a good one also but it might steal sales from the mini.

iPhysicist · Jan 28, 2013

In my eyes, there will never be a bezel free iPad (or macbook screen) because you need to sever(*) the displayed content on the screen from the surroundings. The bezel could shrink by a few millimeters (maybe up to three mm all-around) but only if the weight drops significantly. I use the iPad on a daily basis for lectures, note taking and so on and I need the bezel for holding it or resting my palm (while writing with a stylus).

(*) correct me please if I used the word in wrong context

ditzy · Jan 28, 2013

This would be bad for accessibility. Something that Apple has a really good reputation in. I know that this is something most don't care about, but is vital for some of us.

Stetrain · Jan 28, 2013

smileyface said:
If I was designing the ipad,I would eliminate bezels but keep the option of having bezels by reducing the display size when you want it.The best of both worlds.

I would retain the current width and height and have an 11.5in ipad with no bezels but back to 9.7in display when you want bezels.

Unless they move to OLED screens, that would mean that you would have to power the backlight for those extra screen pixels even when they were just displaying black.

Also that would be weird for app resolutions. Is the inner 9.7" the same resolution as the current iPads? In that case blowing an app up to 'full screen' would make it a bit blurry.

I could see doing something like that with an OLED screen in a 16x9 aspect ratio. When you're using apps, it only uses the center 9.7" which is the same ratio and resolution as the current retina iPad. When you start playing video content though it turns on the extra pixels and lets you watch in widescreen.

In that case the proportions would look about like an iPad Mini in "app mode" but then in "video mode" the bezel would be more uniform around the whole screen.

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