Apple Patent Offers Sketch of Possible Notch Implementation in New MacBook Pros

[svish]

Looks like the notch is coming. Seems true

 

[rukia]

I'm really looking forward to the new MacBooks Pro's and, hopefully, physical F-keys. When I bought the 2016 macbook pro I was hyped about the touchbar but it turned into a really bad experience. As an architect I use a lot of shortcuts for a quick and intuitive workflow. The touchbar slows this process down since I constantly have to look down at the keyboard to find the right touchbar keys. My solution has been to mainly use an iMac or always bring a separate keyboard instead to avoid the loss in efficiency.

Sir, this is a notch self help group. The positive talk about practical features is down the hall and to your left.

 

[ProfessionalFan]

I like the notch. Notches for everything Apple. Put it on everything. Apple Watch, iPad next

An Apple Watch notch that displays the time at all times leaving room below for everything else

 

[code-m]

I just hope they make the top cover behind the screen extra stiff. On a normal notebook when you lift the cover from the corner, the stress is kind of spread evenly across the screen. On a notched design like this, it could end up flexing more at an angle away from one or the other side of the notch. If not a very rigid cover, then at least having some sort of back plate behind the notch to compensate. If not, in a few years were going to have “Notchcrackgate”.

That aside, I think this will work great. They will hard code the system to make sure “full-screen” stops below the notch-bar in the normal 16-10 area and probably, simultaneously sim the notch-bar so it disappears. It will look like bezel when that happens. Not sure what the fuss is.

I believe that is the reason why the notch is as wide as the cutout in the bottom of the trackpad to patch but also when opening the lid to hold onto the notched area of the display, this squared off display will contribute to its rigidness but only mass field testing will be ultimate result.

Hopefully down the upgrade/update roadmap the notch includes FaceID which will be perfect for instant wake and unlock.

 

[code-m]

Sir, this is a notch self help group. The positive talk about practical features is down the hall and to your left.

These notch naysayers will scream foul now but tomorrow or when pre-orders open this thing will see delays. The notch is not a dealbreaker unlike the butterfly keyboard and to a certain extent the TouchBar. I hope that each side of the notch is independent and dynamic think of entering full screen mode and placing the cursor on the right only shows what’s on that side like the time and wifi, etc while placing the cursor on the left will show the menu.

In a year or so the PC and Android Chromebook will mimic this design/feature and these cry’s will be placed in the dustbin of history.

 

[code-m]

An Apple Watch notch that displays the time at all times leaving room below for everything else

AppleWatch may house a notch but it will be for a camera for FaceTime calls, welcome Agent XX from Get Smart.

 

[darngooddesign]

Cant wait to see how many emojis Apple can stick in the notch bar.

 

[Student of Life]

I believe that is the reason why the notch is as wide as the cutout in the bottom of the trackpad to patch but also when opening the lid to hold onto the notched area of the display, this squared off display will contribute to its rigidness but only mass field testing will be ultimate result.

Hopefully down the upgrade/update roadmap the notch includes FaceID which will be perfect for instant wake and unlock.

The notion that they are adding the notch but not FaceID removes all interest in the laptop. I can understand a redesign to include FaceID but to leave it out for version 2.0 makes this a no go.

 

[rukia]

View attachment 1868345

Cant wait to see how many emojis Apple can stick in the notch bar.

It's not for emojis. Apple's new business model is to run banner ads in the upper left and right hand corners based on data mined from "CSAM" searches. Now you know the purpose of the CSAM pretext.

Apple Search Ads grows during App Tracking Transparency push | AppleInsider

Apple's in-house advertising arm, Search Ads, appears to be benefiting from Apple's privacy push in 2021, with the business growing in market share at a time when rival advertising firms are having trouble targeting advertising at potential customers.

appleinsider.com

Note: Yes, its a joke but who knows.

 

[SqB]

The notion that they are adding the notch but not FaceID removes all interest in the laptop. I can understand a redesign to include FaceID but to leave it out for version 2.0 makes this a no go.

We are getting Face ID. When it happens tomorrow, remember you heard it here first.

…and if we don’t, forget you ever saw this. 😝

 

[cflem]

Yes but imagine editing a photo in a full screen mode (which I do all the time) it will be so annoying to not see the whole photo

but you will... it won't extend up... there will likely be space for "Touch Bar like" quick controls up there... think about it...

 

[Mr. Dee]

So, potential for another 5 years of Touchbar/Butterfly keyboard like issues. Glad I only get on this train every 5 years anyway.

 

[inteliboy]

Here's a quick and dirty shop of how I think they are going to implement the notch. So instead of a big top bezel that does nothing but house the webcam, they are going to use that space to free up the menu bar and provide additional information, maybe allow apps to use it. So I don't think the notch is even going to be visible, everything under the notch area stays the same, we just get one more row of info on top of the existing interface. Win-win if you ask me.

View attachment 1868385
Edit: Here's a more refined idea of the implementation. The menu bar could always be black or hidden with a wallpaper vignette. In edge cases where apps have a lot of menu items, a Safari tabs approach could be used to condense the spacing between them and shorten names (...).

View attachment 1868881

This could be great. Why exactly are people freaking out? Turning bezels into a useable screen is a no brainer now that display tech can be any shape and work around camera arrays.

 

[ShufromChina]

I have a wild guess... How about they move the original Touch Bar all the way up to the top of the screen to line up with the notch? And use touch to pull down from the left of the notch or from right of the notch to get different notification/information just like the current iPhones... talking about making the same experience across all devices.

 

[inteliboy]

Technically, by definition, no it will no longer be full screen. The notch on the iPhone was the most ridiculous design decision Apple ever made and brining it to mac is quite frustrating. Full screen = FULL SCREEN. Any circle or rectangle that obstructs the display from showing content takes away from that experience. Instead of working around the problem just don't CAUSE the problem in the first place. We could get a little more height in our content if they did not include the notch, or just make the bezels thicker.

Huh? You are hung up on an archaic idea of what a screen should and could be. Display tech has moved far beyond just a rectangle. Why not make the most of all useable space, including the area around a camera array?

Looking at my mbp right now, I'd actually end up with MORE screen realestate if I could move status icons and menu bars up into the bezel around the camera, instead of below on the 'working' area of the display. Not that hard to get your head around.

 

[davidjschloss]

Editing photos and zooming in will be a nightmare with the black void on top

There's a menu bar at the top of photo editing apps. You already don't edit up there.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Could they move the Touch bar to the display, splitting it in the middle with the cameras/sensors?

It would be slightly less usable than the current Touch Bar. I could see them using it as a 'heads up display' analog, of show messages like a chyron. Things like possible spelling replacement words, battery status, etc...

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I have a wild guess... How about they move the original Touch Bar all the way up to the top of the screen to line up with the notch? And use touch to pull down from the left of the notch or from right of the notch to get different notification/information just like the current iPhones... talking about making the same experience across all devices.

I figured my idea wasn't an original. But if they made the 'new Touch Bar' selectable from the touchpad, it would be more usable...

 

[theorist9]

Am I missing something?

According to the text in the patent the screen at both sides of the notch are not part of the main screen area, will be always black and are only used to display information (e.g. clock , battery status, etc.). So you can free space in the main screen area! So it seems like the menu will be below the notch, as usual, and the notch will not interfere with the normal screen.

So I don't see the problem at all! and since the new MacBook Pros are supposed to use mini led, the background of the extended region can be made pitch black!

Seems like a good use of otherwise unused space, if is implemented as described in the patent.

Here's a quick and dirty shop of how I think they are going to implement the notch. So instead of a big top bezel that does nothing but house the webcam, they are going to use that space to free up the menu bar and provide additional information, maybe allow apps to use it. So I don't think the notch is even going to be visible, everything under the notch area stays the same, we just get one more row of info on top of the existing interface. Win-win if you ask me.

View attachment 1868385
Edit: Here's a more refined idea of the implementation. The menu bar could always be black or hidden with a wallpaper vignette. In edge cases where apps have a lot of menu items, a Safari tabs approach could be used to condense the spacing between them and shorten names (...).

View attachment 1868881

Sure, what you both wrote makes sense for the MacBook Pro's screen—the way I'd think of it is that is you're not losing normal display area but instead, by extending the screen into what would otherwise be bezel on either side of the camera, you have two extra "ears" of display area above the normal display area.

But what happens when you're using an external monitor? You'd need the OS to detect the external monitor and not display the "ears", since otherwise you'd be losing screen real estate there.

 

[theorist9]

.

 

[JMO1]

This could be great. Why exactly are people freaking out? Turning bezels into a useable screen is a no brainer now that display tech can be any shape and work around camera arrays.

This mock us has a bunch of wasted space. I hope I’m wrong but added controls at the top would be unnecessary in most apps. Having it up there would be pointless. I’m thinking excel, why would I need touch controls above the controls within the app. Seems duplicative and just a waste to have two menu bars

 

[JMO1]

Sure, what you both wrote makes sense for the MacBook Pro's screen—the way I'd think of it is that is you're not losing normal display area but instead, by extending the screen into what would otherwise be bezel on either side of the camera, you have two extra "ears" of display area above the normal display area.

But what happens when you're using an external monitor? You'd need the OS to detect the external monitor and not display the "ears", since otherwise you'd be losing screen real estate there.

So in essence you have just an extra large top bezel?

 

[Surne]

Well… better off with a notch than with a big a$$ forehead.

Neither are necessary nor should they be happening in 2021.

 

[JMO1]

I really don't think a notch in the MacBook Pro screen would be bad. See my mockup.

Yeah I guess you’re right. That isn’t distracting at all /s

 

[JMO1]

View attachment 1868414
My interpretation of patent; original aspect ratio below notch, with additional area [extended menu bar] either side of notch.

Distracting