While we’re waiting for the iPhone 13 series, we’re already hearing rumors of what the 2023 iPhone 15 might have to offer. Or in this case, what it might finally stop offering, which is the signature notch.
The iPhone notch is currently used to hold key elements like the phone’s earpiece, a microphone and most notably – a TrueDepth sensor, which is used for Face ID unlocking. This impressive little sensor captures face data including depth, by projecting and analyzing 30,000 invisible dots over the user’s face, Apple says.
This makes Face ID way more secure than the standard Face Unlock you may have seen on certain Android phones, which simply uses two-dimensional data it sees from the front camera and can sometimes be tricked, or fail if your surroundings are too dark.
The iPhone 15 may not need a notch anymore
And while the technology isn’t quite ready for the TrueDepth sensor to be made “invisible” this year with the iPhone 13, trusted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo now says that an under-display Face ID iPhone sensor will become a reality by the year 2023, potentially putting an end for the need of a notch.Currently, Apple is one of few phone makers that still sticks with a notch, while many, most notably Samsung, have chosen to just use a punch hole front camera embedded into the display, which takes up much less screen space. And instead of a TrueDepth sensor for Face ID, we often see under-display fingerprint sensors employed on flagship Android phones for quick and safe unlocking.
In any case, the iPhone notch was just born out of necessity and it’s not hard to imagine that it will not be around forever. We’ve already seen manufacturers implement “hidden” under-display front cameras with varying success and we even took a close look at the world’s first under-display phone camera early this year.
If by 2023 under-display technology matures enough, we might finally be able to enjoy a full-display iPhone and say goodbye to the iconic notch.
