Should Apple Embrace the Notch or Hide the Notch [Debate]

Although Apple has accidentally confirmed the basic hardware design of its next generation iPhone, little information has been revealed about how iOS will handle the design on the software side.

The notched top bezel and edge-to-edge screen open some exciting possibilities for the user interface. Many designers believe Apple will take advantage of the 'function area' and virtual home button to move navigation controls to the bottom of the device. This would make it much easier to use your iPhone with just one hand, your thumb being used to navigate back and forth between pages.

Another big decision will be what to do with the notch at the top of the screen. Apple could choose to hide the notch by placing a black status bar on either side of it, or the company could 'embrace the notch' by leaving the top left and top right corners the same as the page color. A similar decision needs to be made for the bottom function area. Apple could make it black and blend it in with the bezel or it could be any other color making the edge-to-edge display more noticeable.


Designer Max Rudberg has mocked up what these various possibilities would look like.

Beforehand I was fond of the idea of blending the statusbar with the hardware, but seeing the mockups like this, I’m not so sure. Blending the statusbar with the hardware makes the screen seem smaller than it is and the result is less striking. I’m now leaning towards that Apple will embrace the notch.

Take a look at the image below and let us know which you prefer in the comments! Don't forget to follow iClarified on Twitter, Facebook, or RSS for more iPhone updates.