2018 iPhones To Have Smaller Notches, Apple To Ditch Notch For 2019 Models

Rumors about the iPhone X successor have already been brewing and new information about the 2019 iPhones has also surfaced. According to supply chain sources, the iPhone 11 will feature a smaller notch, while Apple is planning to completely ditch the notch for its 2019 models.

Apple is currently rumored to release three iPhone models this year: two models with an OLED display and one with an LCD display. The OLED models are said to have 5.85-inch and 6.46-inch display, while the LCD model is said to have an a 6.04-inch display. Although the three models will have different sizes, all three will have Apple’s Face ID. Sources also said that all three will have smaller bezels and will have a “smaller notch design,” according to the Korean website ET News.

No specifics were given on how Apple managed to make the notch smaller on its 2018 iPhone models. Perhaps the company has found suppliers to create smaller components for its TrueDepth camera system, which makes Face ID possible. The TrueDepth camera system is what’s housed inside the iPhone X notch and is composed of the front-facing camera, dot projector, flood illuminator, infrared camera and the 7MP camera. The TrueDepth camera system is also used to make Animoji work.

It seems like Apple’s goal this year is to bring larger screen-to-body ratio for its upcoming trio of iPhones. This isn’t actually the first time that smaller notches for the 2018 iPhones have been mentioned by reports. Analysts from Barclays predicted last month that Apple’s 2018 iPhone models might have smaller notches.

The most interesting part of the report is where sources say that Apple plans on completely removing the notch for its future iPhones starting in 2019. If the notch is removed, how will Face ID work on future iPhones? Apple is said to be already exploring ways of implementing Face ID with a true full-screen design.

Some display industries are speculating that Apple might be considering to drill holes in the OLED panels in order to implement the TrueDepth camera system. Meanwhile, some believe that Apple might use Black Matrix area within the OLED displays. A matrix area will allow sensor emitters to pass between the pixels of the OLED display, as explained by Phone Arena.

It’s important to note that ET News has a pretty mixed track record. 9To5Mac also pointed out that the Korean site isn’t too reliable when it comes to timelines for Apple’s upcoming products. However, this report does suggest that Apple’s end goal is to have an iPhone that’s completely all-screen, which is something that a lot of users are certainly looking forward to.