Apps can use full screen area around new MacBook Pro's camera notch

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited October 2021
Following the unveiling of its revamped 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models on Monday, Apple released new Human Interface Guidelines detailing how developers can best to utilize the laptops' expanded screen real estate.

MacBook Pro Notch


Apple caused a bit of a stir with its decision to slim down MacBook Pro's display bezels to the point where a "notch" is needed to house the machine's front-facing camera, a design language borrowed from iPhone and affordances made for that device's TrueDepth array. As the company explains, however, developers can choose to include a black bar at the top of the screen to hide the cutout -- aping the design of past MacBook Pro generations -- or take full advantage of the extra space with a new compatibility mode.

According to newly published HIG documents, MacBooks that include a camera housing in the screen bezel provide a special operating mode that prevents full screen apps from placing content under the notch. When active, compatibility mode automatically changes the active area of the system's display to avoid the housing cutout, ensuring that content is not obscured.

Developers can opt for a custom full-screen experience, but they will need to define safe areas in their code using new tools. For example, app makers can specify a large safe area with an inset at the top of the screen that leaves the entirety of the app unobscured. Alternatively, new properties can be set to identify rectangular portions of screen to the right and left of the notch, areas that will be earmarked for active content.

Apple made little mention of the camera housing in its presentation of the new MacBook Pro line on Monday, save for an aside on the laptops' 1080p camera. Marketing materials shown off during the "Unleashed" keynote, and later posted online, show a number of first- and third-party apps running in full screen without compatibility mode active. In such situations, apps default to displaying in a safe area that sits below the aforementioned black bar, effectively hiding the unsightly cutout from view. It remains unclear if Apple's apps can also operate in compatibility mode, as the option can be toggled on and off with proper API support.

Apple's MacBook Pro models were introduced at a special event today. Along with new mini-LED displays, the laptops feature a fresh redesign, powerful and efficient Apple Silicon chips, an improved keyboard with function keys, MagSafe, enhanced audio and more.

Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    jeromecjeromec Posts: 190member
    So, a moving menu bar when switching between notch-aware and not notch-aware apps ??
    rcfawilliamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 10
    My goodness, Apple. Why make things so complicated and when it's so unnecessary.
    rcfacuriousrun8williamlondon
  • Reply 3 of 10
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,564member
    My goodness, Apple. Why make things so complicated and when it's so unnecessary.
    Are you willing to enlighten us and tell us what would be a simpler solution? My ears are open.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 10
    My goodness, Apple. Why make things so complicated and when it's so unnecessary.
    Are you willing to enlighten us and tell us what would be a simpler solution? My ears are open.
    Like this: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81FV+91am5L._AC_SL1500_.jpg

    But the notch is a non-issue, like it is on the iPhone. I guess everyone forget we used to have an Apple logo smack in the middle of the menubar.
    williamlondonravnorodomelijahgwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 10
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    My goodness, Apple. Why make things so complicated and when it's so unnecessary.
    It's not that complicated.  Default behaviour is for full screen apps to avoid using the notch horizontal altogether, so everything will work fine.  If developers want to put in extra work to use those tabs of screen estate either side of the notch they can, but it's entirely optional.
    MplsPStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 10
    3456 by 2234
    3840 by 2160 + a menu / notch
    It seems so close to 4K with all that GPU power...?
    Perhaps that is next year's 17" mbp upgrade... : )
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 10
    michelb76 said:

    I guess everyone forget we used to have an Apple logo smack in the middle of the menubar.
    Maybe everyone "forgot" because it was only in an early pre-release version of Mac OS X over 20 years ago. It's not like it was ever in an officially released version used my a majority of Mac owners.
    edited October 2021
  • Reply 8 of 10
    We'll see if third-party developers use the area around the notch. My bet is very few will. Every single image showing the notch on the MBP product page shows apps in floating windows over the Finder. I think they will just black out that area and start their apps below the notch. The notch will end up being a thing you only see when you see the Finder.

    Pretty, but with little practical functionality. The notch is the new Touch Bar.
    (I'm not saying it was a mistake. I wish developers would design around it, but why would they bother when they can ignore it?)
    edited October 2021 williamlondon
  • Reply 9 of 10
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,821member
    My goodness, Apple. Why make things so complicated and when it's so unnecessary.
    Huh? It enables thinning the bezels down and creating new screen ratio space and usable pixels in the main screen, at the cost of a couple inches of unused menu bar space. How is this not a winning proposition? 

    Do you think it would make sense to lower a car's windshield down, rather than have the rearview mirror cut into the windshield glass? Because that's what you're saying -- you'd prefer a smaller screen with a bezel above it.

    michelb76 said:
    My goodness, Apple. Why make things so complicated and when it's so unnecessary.
    Are you willing to enlighten us and tell us what would be a simpler solution? My ears are open.
    Like this: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81FV+91am5L._AC_SL1500_.jpg
    You've just added a forehead along the top, reducing usable screen space. Why do that? If you just want it to look seamless, use the dark mode. I'd rather have more screen than less screen. 
    edited October 2021 williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 10
    My goodness, Apple. Why make things so complicated and when it's so unnecessary.
    Notch is a perfect fit to Macs. Long time ago Macs are characterized by always having a menu bar at top of screen. Then when video becomes mainstream, Apple invented the full screen mode by hiding the menubar. 
    williamlondonmwhite
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