Huawei Copying Apple iPhone X TrueDepth Camera Notch For P11 Phone?

Well that didn’t take long. When Apple introduced the iPhone X last September, all eyes were drawn to the notch that was occupying minimal space on top of the all-screen, bezel-less handset. It’s a feature that has become a defining trait of the new flagship phone in the absence of a physical Home button. And now it looks like Huawei is taking cues from Apple.

Just this Thursday, XDA Developers learned that Huawei’s upcoming flagship offering could sport an iPhone X-inspired notch. The outlet says it obtained such information from a reliable source, and it’s none other than firmware files for the upcoming device. According to the data obtained by the publication, it looks as though Huawei’s next flagship will have a notch that’s somehow similar to the one on the iPhone X.

XDA Developers recreated an overlay image of the notch, and it does resemble the iPhone X notch. The only difference is it’s shorter than the Apple flagship’s notch. But it’s definitely not too narrow or circular to resemble the one on the Essential Phone. The configuration file from which the overlay image was based is for a design feature labeled “RoundCornerDisplay.” A separate configuration file explicitly mentions a “notch,” which has a value set to “258, 84, 411, 27.” It’s being reported that the value could possibly be representing the left, top, right and bottom offsets that serve as guide when moving screen content around the notch.

The configuration file of the device in question indicates that it has a 6.01-inch 2160 x 1080 LCD screen, but system property, boot animation and charging images mention a 2244 x 1080 screen resolution. The discrepancy in the screen resolution is believed to be due to the presence of the notch on top of the handset’s display.

The firmware files that XDA Developers dug up with the help of FunkyHuawei.club do not, in any way, mention an actual product name. However, it won’t be that surprising when the notch ends up being a statement feature of the upcoming Huawei P11 flagship phone. After all, Huawei is rumored to be announcing the P11 at Mobile World Congress this coming February, so the timing of the firmware files’ appearance may not just be a coincidence.

Meanwhile, if the latest rumor about Huawei’s next flagship phone is to be believed, the P11 could debut as an imaging powerhouse. Notorious tech leaker Evan Blass has apparently spotted some ads for a “Huawei PCE Series” phone that comes with pretty impressive specs, like a triple camera system with 40-megapixel lenses, 5x hybrid zooming and a 24-megapixel selfie camera. All of these camera technologies are reportedly being developed by Huawei with German optics and high end cameras manufacturer, Leica.

For now, the Huawei P11 is nothing more than a rumored device. Huawei has not even announced the possible timeframe for when it is going to introduce its next-generation P series offering. Still, there’s a good reason to watch out for what the company will be showcasing at the MWC early next year.