MacBook Pro refresh could reuse the iPhone's notch in the display

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware
The inbound 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro models could end up equipped with an iPhone-style notch, with images allegedly depicting a display panel for the line bearing the controversial design decision.




The notch in the iPhone 13 and earlier models have been the source of many complaints and criticism but the infamous screen cut-out largely stuck to only Apple's mobile device lines. In a social media posting, it is rumored that something similar could be coming to the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro.

Oh no. Why is the new MacBook Pro screen notched? pic.twitter.com/zO67bl81fX

-- DuanRui (@duanrui1205)


In Weibo posts spotted by leaker DuanRui on Twitter, a screen for the MacBook Pro is allegedly depicted with an element similar to the infamous iPhone notch, at the top of the display. The linked source also mentions the use of a "Safe Area" in AppKit, referring to the concept of the area within the iPhone display that resided below the notch itself.

While the iPhone notch exists to fill out the display and to expose multiple TrueDepth camera array elements to the user, it is said that the notch won't necessarily provide the same features in the MacBook Pro as it does in the smartphone variant. According to Rui, Face ID will not be available to use, but Touch ID will remain in some form.

Apple is anticipated to launch the new MacBook Pro models during its October 18 "Unleashed" event, with the new variants expected to offer Apple Silicon as well as an upgraded display to mini LED backlighting.

Other rumors for the models include the use of smaller bezels, a 1080p webcam, 16GB of memory for the base models, and an updated charging brick.

Read on AppleInsider
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 48
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,564member
    I was wondering about a MacBook or iMac "notch." I was also wondering if the Mac Mini could require the same power brick as the M1 iMac.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 48
    This is not okay. I don’t like the notch on the iPhone, and, while I’m in the market for a new laptop, I will not pay $2500+ for a 16” screen with a damn notch. This is not a phone. I’m not interested in tolerating a notch in a full-size laptop screen just so the body is a 1/4” smaller and the screen goes edge to edge. The tiniest possible form is not important enough to justify making the screen incomplete. I was waiting for an MX1 or M2 MacBook Pro, but I’ll rethink that if this is really what they do. God, I hope this rumor is wrong.

    Apple, just effing stop!
    gregoriusmFred257darkvaderwilliamlondonMplsPAppleUser763!danox80s_Apple_Guydigitolnadriel
  • Reply 3 of 48
    Why??! It’s a laptop! Plenty of room for cameras. 
    darkvaderwilliamlondondanoxMacsWithPenguinsdavgreg
  • Reply 4 of 48
    Fred257Fred257 Posts: 233member
    Oh please no
    darkvaderwilliamlondonharry wilddanoxMacsWithPenguins
  • Reply 5 of 48
    darkvaderdarkvader Posts: 1,146member
    I was hoping that now that they've gotten rid of Ive that Apple would stop making stupid design decisions.  But no, Ive's minions are just as stupid as he is.
    Fred257williamlondonMplsP
  • Reply 6 of 48
    I would guess this is unlikely to actually happen, I don’t like the notch on the phone but I also don’t notice it in day-to-day use. I don’t think this is likely because we already have the iPad in several different versions with Face ID and no notch. a notch doesn’t make any sense in the form factor of a tablet or laptop. 
    danox
  • Reply 7 of 48
    AniMillAniMill Posts: 155member
    I don’t get all the iPhone Notch Nixing. The two areas serve well for info that takes away from the UX. And FaceID works well. Yes, sideways it’s a bit odd, but so what.

    as for a notch on an MacBook - yeah, fuck that. But it’s not going to happen. If anything, it’s just where the module is mounted. I expect there will be a large forehead to house the camera, just like the current 16”
    nadriel
  • Reply 8 of 48
    Was just thinking about this. The only way to have almost no bezel. Totally fine with that! 
    williamlondonxp17watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 48
    ppietrappietra Posts: 288member
    I have a hard time understanding where do people see a notch on the display when the photo doesn’t show a display. What’s on the photo seems to be just the aluminium chassis for the display
    9secondkox2nadrielmattinozfastasleepwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 48
    rob53rob53 Posts: 3,239member
    Don't understand all the negativity about a FaceID notch. There's a 1/4" along the top of my iMac display for standard macOS items and application menu drop down items. Even on a larger laptop, there's room for a 1" long area for the cameras, an out of bounds area. It would be black so anyone using full screen shouldn't really notice it. I would welcome FaceID on the display, especially on iMacs but it wouldn't hurt on laptops, so it isn't have to be in an external keyboard (iMac). TouchID works but FaceID is better.
    williamlondonentropyssdw2001watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 48
    A laptop is already a bundle of compromises. There is no reason to be hysterical about a ¼" notch. It can drive external 6k Dolby Vision HDR displays! If you don't want a notch, get a Mac Mini. 
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 48
    Fred257Fred257 Posts: 233member
    timmillea said:
    A laptop is already a bundle of compromises. There is no reason to be hysterical about a ¼" notch. It can drive external 6k Dolby Vision HDR displays! If you don't want a notch, get a Mac Mini. 

    I’m planning on it

  • Reply 13 of 48
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member
    Fred257 said:
    timmillea said:
    A laptop is already a bundle of compromises. There is no reason to be hysterical about a ¼" notch. It can drive external 6k Dolby Vision HDR displays! If you don't want a notch, get a Mac Mini. 

    I’m planning on it

    Yes there are enough compromises in laptops that are necessary without making one that’s not. Think of it this way - how many people would complain or even be bothered by an extra ¼”/6 mm of height on the laptop lid? None. How many people would complain or be bothered by the notch? A lot. 

    A notch makes sense as a compromise in the iPhone and I’m one who doesn’t mind it at all. In a laptop it’s a solution looking for a problem and completely unnecessary.
    williamlondonnadriel
  • Reply 14 of 48
    ppietrappietra Posts: 288member
    rob53 said:
    Don't understand all the negativity about a FaceID notch. There's a 1/4" along the top of my iMac display for standard macOS items and application menu drop down items. Even on a larger laptop, there's room for a 1" long area for the cameras, an out of bounds area. It would be black so anyone using full screen shouldn't really notice it. I would welcome FaceID on the display, especially on iMacs but it wouldn't hurt on laptops, so it isn't have to be in an external keyboard (iMac). TouchID works but FaceID is better.
    There is no space for a notch on a Mac display!  You cannot put a notch in the middle of the menu bar, that would be an interface stupidity since the number of menus in the bar can increase quite a lot depending on the application.
    Not only that but the mouse cursor movement is supposed to be limited by upper border of the bar, so either the cursor would end up hidden behind the notch or it would some weird behaviour to contour the notch when you are working with the menus.
    williamlondonnadriel
  • Reply 15 of 48
    darkvader said:
    I was hoping that now that they've gotten rid of Ive that Apple would stop making stupid design decisions.  But no, Ive's minions are just as stupid as he is.
    Ridiculous. 

    IVe is the reason we have such great computing designs today.  

    He revolutionized it with the translucent iMac. Then they ran with that for a while. Very fashionable for the time. 

    But he is a perfectionist like Jobs. And so he transformed into. Timeless craftsman, creating designs that would look iconic brand new, yet stand the test of time looking great decades down the road. 

    The flat design he ushered in with UI was the best most consistent implementation anywhere and was right on time. 

    The new team either doesn’t change it much to be safe or makes it ugly. Power bricks that litter the floor, fisher price designs, and styles that are decent now, but don’t look to be lasting. 

    Say what you want, but it doesn’t match with reality. 

    Ive deserves every bit of good credit he gets. 

    Apple is less without him. 
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 48
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,301moderator
    scdundas said:
    I would guess this is unlikely to actually happen, I don’t like the notch on the phone but I also don’t notice it in day-to-day use. I don’t think this is likely because we already have the iPad in several different versions with Face ID and no notch. a notch doesn’t make any sense in the form factor of a tablet or laptop. 
    The inside of an iPad looks like it would have a notch where Face ID is but the display has a uniform bezel:




    The Macbook Pro could have the same bezel design as this, which would look nice. It would be even nicer if it had Face ID too because it could be used for face animation software and better webcam effects. Either way, there's no reason to assume the display will have a cutout.
    9secondkox2AppleUser763!nadrielwatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 48
    netroxnetrox Posts: 1,415member
    A notch can be easily integrated into the menu bar. I don't see why it would be a problem and when you want no "notch", it's easy for the display to hide it by simply letterboxing it. 
     



    entropyswatto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 48
    DuhSesameDuhSesame Posts: 1,278member
    Your Apple “fanboys (more like haters)” are still hilarious.

    first of all, why do most of you assume that this is true?  Got confirmation?

    The iPad have a display just as thin as the Mac but it never have any notch.  Why should the laptop have one?


    Even if that’s true (which I don’t think so), it sure will be irritating but doesn’t mean that it will be a massive failure.  What do you know?  Maybe it’s there for a good reason you’d never thought of.  Maybe the laptop have a bezel so slim that makes it worth it.  Nothing you can tell just from a doubtful leaker.

    HOW many rumors of iPhone 13 turns out to be fake?

    Apple wants to make money, if there’s a flagship with a compromise then surely they’ve thought about it.  Do you really think that Apple users are “sheep” (Which most of you “fans” already assume it is) which just bought whatever Ive’s fetish?


    But what am I saying, it seems like most of you are angry all the time, either with or without a notch.  You’ll be pissed if the rumors were fake, or you’ll be pissed if it’s true.  None of you wants to use your logic.
    fastasleepwatto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 48
    DuhSesameDuhSesame Posts: 1,278member
    timmillea said:
    A laptop is already a bundle of compromises. There is no reason to be hysterical about a ¼" notch. It can drive external 6k Dolby Vision HDR displays! If you don't want a notch, get a Mac Mini. 
    Like?  Most I can think of is the lack of ergonomic.  Macs got the same keyboard, trackpad and frankly ports just as capable — that’s up to the chip & not so much the port options.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 48
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,148member
    It would be tucked into the Menu bar. No big deal, in fact I think it’s a good idea overall size wise for the laptop. It would not be visible on an external display.

    only possible because of the integration of software and hardware.
    edited October 2021 williamlondonmallociwatto_cobra
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