Apple might eliminate the iconic yet somewhat annoying notch entirely on the iPhone 14. The notch is the black tab-like strip at the top of the screen that houses the selfie camera and Face ID sensors. While Android phones have been freed from bezels for several years as most manufacturers opt for the hole-punch design, iPhone owners have been denied the view of the top center of their wallpaper. In the fall of 2022, that might change, and a number of noted leakers appear to agree that the notch is on its way out.
The iPhone didn't reach the massive screen sizes found on Android phones as rapidly as some would have hoped. Part of the reason for the slow transition was the ongoing need for the Touch ID sensor located in the home button. When the iPhone X was released in 2017, the home button was missing and its slim bezels signaled the beginning of bigger screens for the iPhone. Face ID is what made this possible and it came with a trade-off, the infamous notch. Measuring about 35 millimeter wide by 5 millimeter tall, with some variation by year and model, it has been a source of irritation for iPhone owners and ridicule by Android fans that boast the punch-hole cameras and under-screen cameras on their devices.
The iPhone 14 might finally bid farewell to the notch. Such notable Apple leakers as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Front Page Tech's Jon Prosser agree that the notch won't be spoiling the view for much longer, given another year or maybe two. This is the area that contains the selfie camera and the hardware needed for Face ID, which consists of infrared illuminators and sensors to read depth, known collectively as the TrueDepth camera. Apple won't be getting rid of authentication, so that poses a problem for Face ID. Will it work as an under-screen technology or will Apple have multiple holes in the iPhone 14? According to a tweet from display industry analyst Ross Young, that should be easier than cameras that are placed under the screen.
Other iPhone 14 Rumors
The iPhone 14 should have a much faster A16 processor since TSMC will have its 4-nanometer process in production and the 3-nanometer node might even be ready if all goes well with testing. Every reduction in scale increases speed and reduces energy consumption. This would expand the image and video processing power even further, possibly enabling better portrait blur, enhanced night mode, and cinematic video at 4K resolution. The cameras will inevitably get better also since every phone manufacturer recognizes that is a critical factor in upgrade decisions. A less realistic but intriguing possibility is that the iPhone 14 might eliminate the lightning port. USB-C might be forced upon Apple if the EU has its way, however, Apple might prefer to eliminate wired charging with a port-less iPhone. This may require either faster wireless charging or huge battery life gains.
While the iPhone 14 is still a year away, several rumors and images have sprung up recently. Prosser's big 'reveal' showcased a supposed all-new design from an unnamed source. The render of this supposed 2022 iPhone has no notch and instead uses a punch-hole camera. Perhaps this implies a combination of a hole for the selfie camera, while the Face ID hardware would be under the screen. Prosser's render showed cameras that are flush with the back of the iPhone and round volume buttons, both of which seem less likely to happen. The iPhone 14 will see some significant upgrades next year and some might even be more impressive than a notch removal.
Source: Bloomberg, Front Page Tech, Ross Young/Twitter