I do not understand the 'notch' angst at all.

[Applejuiced]

True, but it's not so much the marketing of the actual or usable size.
I wouldn't care if it was 5.8" or 5.6" as long as it was symmetrical like all other rectangular screens out there.

Their advertising is misleading & perhaps another reason why many are put off by it & treating the notch as taking away screen area.

Apple shouldn't have marketed it as 5.8" imo. Should've measured it diagonally from below the status bar area. What would that make it? 5.5"? Still more space for non-Plus users . & Then the ears could've been interpreted as bonus screen area as oppose to them being apart of a (non)full row of screen that makes up the falsely marketed 5.8".

 

[44267547]

How, how would it be possible to 'change the design'. They can either black out the bezel, which they already allow Or they can remove the front facing cameras. Is there a third way? Tell me what other choice is there. Even saying 'they could have left things as they were, they also have covered with the iP8

Regarding your "Meta" thread, I'm not an Apple engineer and Nor am I paid to try to figure things out based on what you're asking me. I simply offered my opinion on how the Notch currently stands and where I ultimately could see it potentially leading too. This is a forum full of opinions and views, which no one is going to have definitive answer for you based on the future with the Notch. Based on your responses, you seem to be reading a little deep In every retort. As you put it, other seem to be in a "reality distortion" field based on your standards. Then Again, this is a tech site and not real world indicative of how others may think.

 

[Ralfi]

True, but it's not so much the marketing of the actual or usable size.
I wouldn't care if it was 5.8" or 5.6" as long as it was symmetrical like all other rectangular screens out there.

I wouldn't discount App developers thinking along those lines & blackening the ears.

Google Maps for eg. shouldn't have their maps blocked out by a notch & I would think they'll design their App to have that rectangular top edge you're preferring.

App developers aren't silly. They see the notch/ears & will find work arounds that'll make their Apps dominate the face of the X, whether it'll be with a blackened header or not.

 

[throAU]

You see this is the whole point of this meta thread, you are ignoring the meta thread premise and pretending that Apple don't already allow the shape to conform to the content. They showed that on the Video demonstration, it's your choice when watching a video, you can have the notch or not have the notch.

This is like some sort of mass hysterical delusion, a reverse 'reality distortion field' where people are complaining that they do not have what they really do have. I just don't get it.
[doublepost=1507950402][/doublepost]

How, how would it be possible to 'change the design'. They can either black out the bezel, which they already allow Or they can remove the front facing cameras. Is there a third way? Tell me what other choice is there. Even saying 'they could have left things as they were, they also have covered with the iP8

i saw the apple keynote. i’ve also seen plenty of examples where it is plain bad.

thread asked what the complaints are about (again). if you don’t have any you’re clearly just here to argue.

 

[Applejuiced]

True, they can compensate for the bad design and try to wipe it out completely while during use of their app.
But as soon as the iPhone screen turns on it will be right there

I wouldn't discount App developers thinking along those lines & blackening the ears.

Google Maps for eg. shouldn't have their maps blocked out by a notch & I would think they'll design their App to have that rectangular top edge you're preferring.

App developers aren't silly. They see the notch/ears & will find work arounds that'll make their Apps dominate the face of the X, whether it'll be with a blackened header or not.

 

[inscrewtable]

i saw the apple keynote. i’ve also seen plenty of examples where it is plain bad.

thread asked what the complaints are about (again). if you don’t have any you’re clearly just here to argue.

No, I didn't ask what the complaints are per se, I know what the complaints are, I listed them and then showed that the complaints that are claimed to be complaints are in fact non existent. In stead of just saying 'I saw the keynote...it was bad', and assuming that you're not 'just here to argue' then why don't you tell me a complaint about the notch that you think is bad, that I have not addressed and pointed out that it is a fantasy?

 

[throAU]

So what the hell is the notch complaint about, I really do not understand it at all.

Scroll a list in a text window in lanscape mode
play a game in landscape mode that uses the left edge for UI
watch a movie in landscape mode
etc.

 

[FunkyTang]

Saw this on the Gram. Just the Bezels. Looks to me the X has a lot of screen for the bezel area.

 

[Applejuiced]

Good. So the notch issue is non existent to you.
Then you go ahead and purchase one.
Those that do not like it will not spend their money on it.
It's pretty simple. People buy what they like and we all view things subjectively and tend to like different things.
Nothing wrong with that and someone else's opinion on an electronic product shouldn't impact you or your smartphone choice

No, I didn't ask what the complaints are per se, I know what the complaints are, I listed them and then showed that the complaints that are claimed to be complaints are in fact non existent. In stead of just saying 'I saw the keynote...it was bad', and assuming that you're not 'just here to argue' then why don't you tell me a complaint about the notch that you think is bad, that I have not addressed and pointed out that it is a fantasy?

 

[torana355]

bezels do not bother me at all

Bezels themselves don't bother me either its the fact they eat into space that can be used for a screen therefore we want them as small as possible. That being said there becomes a point when you go to far and the notch is a perfect example of that. I think the Samsung S8/+ and Note 8 have pulled off the large screen in a small form factor best.

 

[Michael Scrip]

Am I talking in Swahili without realising it, what you say can be achieved with software exactly so in the sense that they have left that possibility of which you say they could have done, they have in fact already done it. Yes?

Let me explain. I meant Apple could have literally used a solid bezel like the Galaxy S8 or other phones. Just a boring top bezel.

But they didn't.

I like what Apple did with the "notch"... it gives it character.

I'm on your side... I don't understand the angst either.

 

[inscrewtable]

Scroll a list in a text window in lanscape mode
play a game in landscape mode that uses the left edge for UI
watch a movie in landscape mode
etc.

Yeah I already addressed all of those, you don't like a movie with the notch cut into it? Well press a button and it's gone, fixed in software. That's what I'm getting at. If you don't mind the notch then don't press the button that removes it. So everyone can be happy, what then is the complaint, Apple has you covered whether you mind the notch or not.
[doublepost=1507957774][/doublepost]

Good. So the notch issue is non existent to you.
...
Nothing wrong with that and someone else's opinion on an electronic product shouldn't impact you or your smartphone choice

Non, non et non. The notch is a non issue to me because I wouldn't mind it, if the notch is not a non issue to you then press the software button that turns the top area as if it were a non displaying bezel.

That you can make the phone look like it had bezel instead of screen around the cameras, is a fact, it's not an opinion.
[doublepost=1507958100][/doublepost]

Let me explain. I meant Apple could have literally used a solid bezel like the Galaxy S8 or other phones. Just a boring top bezel.

But they didn't.

I like what Apple did with the "notch"... it gives it character.

I'm on your side... I don't understand the angst either.

OK got it. I would understand the angst if Apple said, 'if you watch a movie full screen and you don't like the notch, too bad. That would make sense to be annoyed, because it would be weird but they did not do that, they catered for people who either like the notch or don't care, and they catered for people who claim to be irritated that it cuts into their full screen movie by giving you the option to opt out of the notch. I mean this is so freaking clear, obvious and unequivocal, Apple made a special point to note this in the presentation.

In all the reviews of the non essential PH-1 no one cares about the notch and they don't even say if you have a choice to remove it with software, I'm guessing not. Now that IS arrogant, because the non essential phone company would be saying 'but it's pretty small so don't worry about it you have no choice'
[doublepost=1507958485][/doublepost]

Those arguing against the notch point out that you can just make that entire area a bezel. You don't get a true 'edge' to 'edge' screen but they seem to be more comfortable with a minimal bezel versus a notch.

Personally, it doesn't bother me too much.

The camera bump is what bothers me.

Your statement that the notch is unavoidable though, is in the same category to me as those who state the camera bump is unavoidable. I don't really believe that because if it were true then there would not be non-Apple devices that do it.

Yet there are.

Please link me to any flagship smartphone that has wall to wall screen I don't think you can because there isn't one, because it's not possible because a front facing camera must take up space.
[doublepost=1507959488][/doublepost]

Regarding your "Meta" thread, I'm not an Apple engineer and Nor am I paid to try to figure things out based on what you're asking me. I simply offered my opinion on how the Notch currently stands and where I ultimately could see it potentially leading too. This is a forum full of opinions and views, which no one is going to have definitive answer for you based on the future with the Notch. Based on your responses, you seem to be reading a little deep In every retort. As you put it, other seem to be in a "reality distortion" field based on your standards. Then Again, this is a tech site and not real world indicative of how others may think.

Let me explain, it's just that to me it feels like an 'emperor's new clothes' type scenario and I guess I'm just pointing to the emperor. To me it's as obvious as a nude emperor that when Cook showed you could effectively remove the notch, it was case closed, I don't see that as anything technical.

To me it's no different to a laptop with a strange aspect ratio, and it gives you the choice to fill the screen or not fill the screen except that the difference is that the X already has a wider aspect ratio than Samsung and others, so it's even more moot.

 

[9594864]

The so called 'notch' unsurprisingly has evoked some pointless discussions, however what is surprising to me is the extent and virulence of these opinions in numerous tech articles.

This is what I do not understand and if I am missing something perhaps someone can correct my thinking... The quest for a so called wall to wall screen on the front of a flagship phone necessarily is an impossible goal because at the very least, a flagship phone must have a camera on the front, even if everything else is somehow removed, it would seem a camera cannot be eliminated on a flagship device.

The non essential PH-1 was an exercise in minimalism and if any phone was ever going to do without a front facing camera that was the phone that would do it. So they have to have a notch albeit one that is as small as possible.

OK so now that we can establish that a notch is unavoidable, we come to the only other possible complaint and that is that 'it would be better to have the entire notch depth blacked out. But this is also nonsensical because that is software based not hardware based. If it were hardware based then there would be no choice, as it now stands that can be achieved at any time anyway.

In fact Apple have already explained that this will be up to the user at least where the complaint is feasible. For example I personally do not see that the notch is a problem with full screen video, but if one does find that to be unacceptable, Apple has already explained that the user can choose to black out the 'ears' and view the movie smaller.

So what the hell is the notch complaint about, I really do not understand it at all.

Apparently you don’t understand aspect ratio either. If you view absolutely any video on an iPhone X using the entirety of the display, you lose a good amount of content completely irrespective of the hideous notch.

As for the notch, the problem is not in hardware...it’s in software. Their software design is absolutely abysmal. As you suggested everyone knows; you black the ears out and eliminate the notch in software. Simple, symmetry, intelligent design.

Since Apple elected to show the notch, we can expect the first alien civilization that captures the radio waves traveling through the galaxy at the speed of light carrying the information that depicts an image of the iPhone X, to immediately turn their intergalactic ship toward earth specifically to come here and kill us all for the embarrassing incompetency our species is capable of. The end.

 

[inscrewtable]

Apparently you don’t understand aspect ratio either. If you view absolutely any video on an iPhone X using the entirety of the display, you lose a good amount of content completely irrespective of the hideous notch.

As for the notch, the problem is not in hardware...it’s in software. Their software design is absolutely abysmal. As you suggested everyone knows; you black the ears out and eliminate the notch in software. Simple, symmetry, intelligent design.

Since Apple elected to show the notch, we can expect the first alien civilization that captures the radio waves traveling through the galaxy at the speed of light carrying the information that depicts an image of the iPhone X, to immediately turn their intergalactic ship toward earth specifically to come here and kill us all for the embarrassing incompetency our species is capable of. The end.

Well OK, if you agree that any perceived problem is software based and not hardware based it would certainly be the case that it's not a phone design problem if there is a problem at all, therefore back to my original questioning as such massive angst. It's not as if it's unheard of for software tweaks to be implemented if necessary. I did view this page that talks about the particular design challenges and it covers most objections as far as I can tell.

I'm beginning to think that the problem is that I have not fully embraced this strange post Trumpian world where facts and 'truth' are really whatever you want them to be. I'm just a political Luddite I guess.

 

[9594864]

Well OK, if you agree that any perceived problem is software based and not hardware based it would certainly be the case that it's not a phone design problem if there is a problem at all, therefore back to my original questioning as such massive angst. It's not as if it's unheard of for software tweaks to be implemented if necessary. I did view this page that talks about the particular design challenges and it covers most objections as far as I can tell.

I'm beginning to think that the problem is that I have not fully embraced this strange post Trumpian world where facts and 'truth' are really whatever you want them to be. I'm just a political Luddite I guess.

No the hardware design is absolutely amazing. The notch is a great idea in hardware design. Showing in via the software is the problem.

 

[Ralfi]

Saw this on the Gram. Just the Bezels. Looks to me the X has a lot of screen for the bezel area.

Interesting screenies. It highlights the efficient use of the X's screen. Cheers.

Since Apple elected to show the notch, we can expect the first alien civilization that captures the radio waves traveling through the galaxy at the speed of light carrying the information that depicts an image of the iPhone X, to immediately turn their intergalactic ship toward earth specifically to come here and kill us all for the embarrassing incompetency our species is capable of. The end.

Reads like a plot synopsis on IMDB.

 

[JohnApples]

I mentioned it before, but the notch is not a deal breaker for me and I do plan on getting the X.

The issue I have is actually with the bottom of the screen. In most cases, the home bar is there, which essentially creates an artificial bezel. No UI elements can be down there and it must remain untouched (save for background color) to not interfere with the home bar.

The picture someone posted earlier in this thread shows off what I mean. Safari has a rather large “white bezel” at the bottom because of the Home bar. Even when you scroll and make it disappear, the Home bar is *always there* and obstructing content.

Why can’t we choose to hide the bar? I’m going to instantly memorize that a swipe up from the bottom = go home anyway.

 

[boy-better-know]

People have to choose something to complain about when a new iPhone is launched, that's the reason.

 

[HEK]

The so called 'notch' unsurprisingly has evoked some pointless discussions, however what is surprising to me is the extent and virulence of these opinions in numerous tech articles.

This is what I do not understand and if I am missing something perhaps someone can correct my thinking... The quest for a so called wall to wall screen on the front of a flagship phone necessarily is an impossible goal because at the very least, a flagship phone must have a camera on the front, even if everything else is somehow removed, it would seem a camera cannot be eliminated on a flagship device.

The non essential PH-1 was an exercise in minimalism and if any phone was ever going to do without a front facing camera that was the phone that would do it. So they have to have a notch albeit one that is as small as possible.

OK so now that we can establish that a notch is unavoidable, we come to the only other possible complaint and that is that 'it would be better to have the entire notch depth blacked out. But this is also nonsensical because that is software based not hardware based. If it were hardware based then there would be no choice, as it now stands that can be achieved at any time anyway.

In fact Apple have already explained that this will be up to the user at least where the complaint is feasible. For example I personally do not see that the notch is a problem with full screen video, but if one does find that to be unacceptable, Apple has already explained that the user can choose to black out the 'ears' and view the movie smaller.

So what the hell is the notch complaint about, I really do not understand it at all.

It’s the ultimate 1st world problem. If you house is not threatened by fire, hurricane, flood water rains or you are not in the latestest mass shooting the “the in “ hip thing to complain about is the latest iPhone. Happens each year at this time.

The notch is the latest non issue hot point. Color, bezel size, finger print ID, reachability, not enough choices, too many choices, you name it, it’s been an issue for some. We have become so intimate and attached to our personal computing device it has become our most treasured relationship.

Take someone’s spouse away from them for a week, a vacation let’s say and we deal with it. Take a person’s personal computing device away from them for a week. And the world will end. Try not using your phone for a week. The anxiety attacks will be off the charts.

The notch issue will become just another passing event. You are correct in realizing the cameras, speaker, sensors need to be placed somewhere on the face of device to work. Regardless of where Apple places them some small segment of users will not like the design choice.

Once the phone is shipping this issue will diminish. Most of those complaining will either wind up buying it, or never intended to in first place and go back to Android forum. Meanwhile just keep chanting, “embrace the notch”.

This message brought to you only half tongue in cheek.
[doublepost=1507991228][/doublepost]

i saw the apple keynote. i’ve also seen plenty of examples where it is plain bad.

thread asked what the complaints are about (again). if you don’t have any you’re clearly just here to argue.

Wait ........ so if people side with your opinion they are here with legitimate complaint and not arguing . If they don’t, their opinion is not legitimate and is worth less as they are against your opinion?

Right...............

 

[avanpelt]

You see this is the whole point of this meta thread, you are ignoring the meta thread premise and pretending that Apple don't already allow the shape to conform to the content. They showed that on the Video demonstration, it's your choice when watching a video, you can have the notch or not have the notch.

Apple gives users that choice when they’re watching a video, but not when they’re scrolling through text while the phone is in landscape orientation. Do you think having a “disappearing” scroll bar that can be obscured by the notch is a good user experience? I don’t. It seems sloppy to me.

 

[the future]

I mentioned it before, but the notch is not a deal breaker for me and I do plan on getting the X.

The issue I have is actually with the bottom of the screen. In most cases, the home bar is there, which essentially creates an artificial bezel. No UI elements can be down there and it must remain untouched (save for background color) to not interfere with the home bar.

The picture someone posted earlier in this thread shows off what I mean. Safari has a rather large “white bezel” at the bottom because of the Home bar. Even when you scroll and make it disappear, the Home bar is *always there* and obstructing content.

Why can’t we choose to hide the bar? I’m going to instantly memorize that a swipe up from the bottom = go home anyway.

I can imagine this choice being implemented in an iOS update when the X has been out a while and users have gotten used to the new gestures.

 

[Arran]

How, how would it be possible to 'change the design'. They can either black out the bezel, which they already allow Or they can remove the front facing cameras. Is there a third way?...

Or they can change the shape of the notch.

Make it a ‘bite’ and call it a trademark!

 

[nia820]

Human beings generally like things to be symmetrical looking. With that notch at the top it makes the phone look asymmetrical.

Apple could have just added a thin bezel top and bottom like on the s8 series. Or at the very least make a then bezel on the top so it's uniform.

I absolutely hate the notch. So much so I got fed up with apple and got an s8.

But lately I've been thinking about getting an iPhone x. I miss being able to use my apple watch and the ecosystem.

I'm trying to force myself to like the notch.

 

[craigio85]

I do note your sarcasm but this is not so much a thread about the notch but it's more of a meta thread about the notch threads. In that there is no valid complaint at all, as I said, one can like a colour of phone or not like a colour of phone but it's not possible to complain that a colour exists that one does not like.

The flaw in your logic is that if you don’t like a colour, you simply buy the identical tech specs but cased in a different colour. If you don’t like the notch to the extent that it’s a dealbreaker but you want an iPhone it’s not as clear cut. The options are to downgrade on specs and accept the dated, bezel-heavy design of the iPhone 7/8 series. Somebody who wanted more screen but is averse to the size of the Plus models or somebody who wants FaceID or an OLED screen would have to accept the notch in order to get what they want. Apple are not forcing it on everybody but they are indirectly forcing it on some buyers. And let’s not forget, fast-forward a year and all of the new iPhone models are likely to feature the notch design.

I see a lot of people on this forum flat-out refusing to acknowledge what I see as valid criticisms of the notch design. It doesn’t bother many people and that’s fine - it’s their buying decision. I find the notch jarring but it wasn’t the overriding factor that resulted in me opting against the X. Had the phone been more attractive to me as an overall package, I might have decided to live with it.

 

[eyoungren]

Please link me to any flagship smartphone that has wall to wall screen I don't think you can because there isn't one, because it's not possible because a front facing camera must take up space.

You're not listening.

I said there were phones where the "notch" is actually part of a thin bezel, thus making it not truly edge to edge. Apple takes the notch perspective.

Plenty of people are okay with a thin bezel and no notch, hence these phones are made and they sell.

Apple could do this. They choose not to.