I like it. Small change, but looks more polished to me.
Yes indeed. When every other on-screen element of the iPad desktop from the dock to folders to app icons are rounded rectangles having the main display surface as a rounded rectangle is the ultimate finishing touch on a very coherent design aesthetic. Rounded rectangles are so ingrained into Apple's DNA. This had to happen. Steve would be proud.
Funny. CRT-based televisions and monitors used to have rounded corners. Towards the end of the CRT era, more expensive models had squared corners. Some even had vertically-flat screens.
What's old is new again!
You notice modern flat screen TVs don’t emulate rounded corners anymore, they present the full screen image. Not that they couldn’t as a design aesthetic, but they’d either have to cut off some of the image in the corners, as those rounded rect screens did in the 1950s & 60s, or shrink the image so the corners were fully represented. Fortunately digital technology makes this pretty simple to do without affecting picture quality, if that’s an issue. Most movies and videos a person may watch on their iPads are not in the 4:3 aspect ratio, so they will never fill the entire screen anyway, so the corners would likely be filled with black letterbox bars anyway. Even old TV shows in the 4:3 ratio will likely be pillar boxed in a 16:9 ratio, and even if they aren’t, Apple likely will have a simple way to shrink the image to reveal the corners within the display. Of course, those 4:3 transfers also show full frame material no TV in the 50s & 60s ever revealed, so as you say, in that case what’s old is new again as it’s closer to the original broadcast than the way we see it today, and that actually might be a good thing.
It’s funny, Macs artificially kept the rounded corners alive for many years after moving to LCD displays, along the top of the menu bar. I always hated that. Now we appear to be going back to it. I imagine the Apple Watch will likewise take this approach as they are rumored to enlarge their display area without necessarily enlarging the watch dimensions.
For real, an app that has a layout with some kind of grid: a text box, x/y graph, list, etc,.....these and many other things are going to be skewed or compromised in corner areas. Items in the corners will either be arbitrarily rounded or shifted in from the corner to create a true squared corner. If you are programming a dynamic screen layout do you now have to program work arounds for the corners?
I don’t like the direction if that’s where It’s going.
The iPhone X already handles this issue, so it’s likely something Apple has already addressed, as they typically do.
i fully expect the Apple Watch to take this approach as well given the rumor of enlarging the display area without necessarily changing the case dimensions. Apple always makes adapting existing software relatively easy for the developer when they make these changes, as they did going from the iPhone to iPad, 3.5” iPhone to 4”, and beyond. And it’s another reason why should Apple offer a round Apple Watch, the developer won’t have too many major hurdles to jump in order to adapt their existing software, or design in a round environment vs. square.
Funny. CRT-based televisions and monitors used to have rounded corners. Towards the end of the CRT era, more expensive models had squared corners. Some even had vertically-flat screens.
What's old is new again!
You notice modern flat screen TVs don’t emulate rounded corners anymore, they present the full screen image. Not that they couldn’t as a design aesthetic, but they’d either have to cut off some of the image in the corners, as those rounded rect screens did in the 1950s & 60s, or shrink the image so the corners were fully represented. Fortunately digital technology makes this pretty simple to do without affecting picture quality, if that’s an issue. Most movies and videos a person may watch on their iPads are not in the 4:3 aspect ratio, so they will never fill the entire screen anyway, so the corners would likely be filled with black letterbox bars anyway. Even old TV shows in the 4:3 ratio will likely be pillar boxed in a 16:9 ratio, and even if they aren’t, Apple likely will have a simple way to shrink the image to reveal the corners within the display. Of course, those 4:3 transfers also show full frame material no TV in the 50s & 60s ever revealed, so as you say, in that case what’s old is new again as it’s closer to the original broadcast than the way we see it today, and that actually might be a good thing.
It’s funny, Macs artificially kept the rounded corners alive for many years after moving to LCD displays, along the top of the menu bar. I always hated that. Now we appear to be going back to it. I imagine the Apple Watch will likewise take this approach as they are rumored to enlarge their display area without necessarily enlarging the watch dimensions.
I would not expect a TV to use rounded corners for the display any more than using rounded corners on a theater screen or the window in a house wall.
The iPad on the other hand is a device that begs to be touched and held in your hands, like a clipboard, so having rounded corners makes it more inviting to touch. Sure, the device edges have always been rounded but rounding the edge of the display too makes the overall design more coherent - especially now that the bezels are so thin. It's a subtle difference that makes the whole design more seamless from edge to edge, at least in my opinion. Now let's see if they actually do it.
I'm not a fan of that mockup. I'd think they've keep the bezels wide enough to accommodate Face ID tech without a notch.
Agree with this.
I think there will be symmetrical top and bottom bezels; top for TrueDepth camera and bottom for aesthetics. Plus, when held in landscape mode with one hand the weight of the device will require a tighter grasp, i.e. more thumb over the display.
No notch, constant bezel width all the way around. New aspect ratio on the 11.0” model. Unless Apple planted a bogus asset in the latest iOS 12 beta to troll us lol.
Bezel about 9mm if the physical dimensions from the latest rumor are accurate. Resolution approx. 2380 x 1666.
Cue the outrage of those who claim that those few lost pixels in the corners are critical to their workflow..
Ugh! I hope corner-gate doesn't happen, but if the internet has taught me anything is that if you can think of it then someone will complain about it.
But this is a pure example of form over function, which you've railed against before?
If after 11 months of being on the market you can't understand how the iPhone X maximizing as much of the front-face as possible with the display allows for a better user experience since the display is the primary UI then I don't think there's anything I can say that will ever make you understand how the iPhone X was designed with functionality in mind.
And that's without even considering that the iPad will likely have thin bezels just thick enough to support the Face ID components without the unsightly (form) yet necessary (function) notch in the way of a few pixels, since there's functionality to be had from having some area for a bezel due to how we hold these vastly iOS-based devices due to their size and weight.
Adding to that, if the new iPad display size and resolution (which includes an inherent reference to aspect ratio based on those values) is the same as it current is, then it would be minor loss of function in that regard, but the current leaks and rumours seem to indicate that the display size and resolution will be increased (along with a new aspect ratio). Overall this additional functionality makes sense to me, just as Apple made the iPhone X the same physical width as the 4.7" iPhone and created a detailed HIG that would allow users to get more data on screen without sacrificing anything that had on the previous 4.7" iPhone.
PS: The one thing I haven't sen mention is where the Face ID tech would be placed. With the iPhone putting it at the top-center when held vertically makes the most sense, but with an iPad that was designed from the start to be rotated in 4 orientations where to place it? Touch ID had to be centered, but with Face ID—if it is hidden into a thin bezel around the border, would be more ideal to offset the component closer to, say, the upper-left side of the bezel when holding in portrait mode (with the Sleep/Wake button on top).
This might offer 2 distinct benefits: 1 ) It could allow for Face ID to still work in a fairly ideal way when held in landscape if turned clockwise 90° which would putt the Face ID components to the upper-right side of the bezel, and 2) potentially keep the user's hands from covering the Face ID components, assuming that one doesn't tend to hold it at the very top of the display.
This may not work if you rotate the device count-clockwise by 90 or 180°. I wonder if portrait mode is the best place for offsetting the Face ID tech since it's the smaller length. Perhaps landscape would offer a better experience with less potential for obstruction due to the longer length of the side.
Funny. CRT-based televisions and monitors used to have rounded corners. Towards the end of the CRT era, more expensive models had squared corners. Some even had vertically-flat screens.
What's old is new again!
You notice modern flat screen TVs don’t emulate rounded corners anymore, they present the full screen image. Not that they couldn’t as a design aesthetic, but they’d either have to cut off some of the image in the corners, as those rounded rect screens did in the 1950s & 60s, or shrink the image so the corners were fully represented. Fortunately digital technology makes this pretty simple to do without affecting picture quality, if that’s an issue. Most movies and videos a person may watch on their iPads are not in the 4:3 aspect ratio, so they will never fill the entire screen anyway, so the corners would likely be filled with black letterbox bars anyway. Even old TV shows in the 4:3 ratio will likely be pillar boxed in a 16:9 ratio, and even if they aren’t, Apple likely will have a simple way to shrink the image to reveal the corners within the display. Of course, those 4:3 transfers also show full frame material no TV in the 50s & 60s ever revealed, so as you say, in that case what’s old is new again as it’s closer to the original broadcast than the way we see it today, and that actually might be a good thing.
It’s funny, Macs artificially kept the rounded corners alive for many years after moving to LCD displays, along the top of the menu bar. I always hated that. Now we appear to be going back to it. I imagine the Apple Watch will likewise take this approach as they are rumored to enlarge their display area without necessarily enlarging the watch dimensions.
I would not expect a TV to use rounded corners for the display any more than using rounded corners on a theater screen or the window in a house wall.
The iPad on the other hand is a device that begs to be touched and held in your hands, like a clipboard, so having rounded corners makes it more inviting to touch. Sure, the device edges have always been rounded but rounding the edge of the display too makes the overall design more coherent - especially now that the bezels are so thin. It's a subtle difference that makes the whole design more seamless from edge to edge, at least in my opinion. Now let's see if they actually do it.
Cue the outrage of those who claim that those few lost pixels in the corners are critical to their workflow..
Ugh! I hope corner-gate doesn't happen, but if the internet has taught me anything is that if you can think of it then someone will complain about it.
But this is a pure example of form over function, which you've railed against before?
If after 11 months of being on the market you can't understand how the iPhone X maximizing as much of the front-face as possible with the display allows for a better user experience since the display is the primary UI then I don't think there's anything I can say that will ever make you understand how the iPhone X was designed with functionality in mind.
How is this is relevant to rounded corners?
The iPhone X (which I have, like, and am not complaining about) could have the same display size, resolution, and bezel depth, while not having rounded corners.
Cue the outrage of those who claim that those few lost pixels in the corners are critical to their workflow..
Ugh! I hope corner-gate doesn't happen, but if the internet has taught me anything is that if you can think of it then someone will complain about it.
But this is a pure example of form over function, which you've railed against before?
If after 11 months of being on the market you can't understand how the iPhone X maximizing as much of the front-face as possible with the display allows for a better user experience since the display is the primary UI then I don't think there's anything I can say that will ever make you understand how the iPhone X was designed with functionality in mind.
How is this is relevant to rounded corners?
The iPhone X (which I have, like, and am not complaining about) could have the same display size, resolution, and bezel depth, while not having rounded corners.
Form over function.
So you're complaining that the iPhone X casing wasn't made larger so that it could accommodate 90° angles at the display corners and you don't understand how increasing the size of the casing and removing the curves from the casing would affect the utility of the device? 🤦♂️
Because you're not one to do even a modicum of research of analysis to back up any point (being generous here) that you may have, I decided to create a mockup of the iPhone X that you say would be perfectly fine with "the same display size, resolution, and bezel depth, while not having rounded corners." I did my best to make sure the white rectangular box when up to the very edge of the display sides and top without crossing over into the bezels. Of course, that's not possible when dealing with a right angle display. So now that you have your display with the same resolution but with no rounded corners can you explain how the fuck that could be made without changing the casing so that it also has right angles so it could also keep, as you say, "the same […] bezel depth"? Are you even aware of how the curves in the casing adds to its structural intregrtity or is that also one of those engineering decisions that you believe is a form over function?
For real, an app that has a layout with some kind of grid: a text box, x/y graph, list, etc,.....these and many other things are going to be skewed or compromised in corner areas. Items in the corners will either be arbitrarily rounded or shifted in from the corner to create a true squared corner. If you are programming a dynamic screen layout do you now have to program work arounds for the corners?
I don’t like the direction if that’s where It’s going.
Old news, buddy. Apple’s design guideline released for the X explained the “safe zone” layout.
Cue the outrage of those who claim that those few lost pixels in the corners are critical to their workflow..
Ugh! I hope corner-gate doesn't happen, but if the internet has taught me anything is that if you can think of it then someone will complain about it.
But this is a pure example of form over function, which you've railed against before?
If after 11 months of being on the market you can't understand how the iPhone X maximizing as much of the front-face as possible with the display allows for a better user experience since the display is the primary UI then I don't think there's anything I can say that will ever make you understand how the iPhone X was designed with functionality in mind.
How is this is relevant to rounded corners?
The iPhone X (which I have, like, and am not complaining about) could have the same display size, resolution, and bezel depth, while not having rounded corners.
Form over function.
So you're complaining that the iPhone X casing wasn't made larger so that it could accommodate 90° angles at the display corners and you don't understand how increasing the size of the casing and removing the curves from the casing would affect the utility of the device? 🤦♂️
Because you're not one to do even a modicum of research of analysis to back up any point (being generous here) that you may have, I decided to create a mockup of the iPhone X that you say would be perfectly fine with "the same display size, resolution, and bezel depth, while not having rounded corners." I did my best to make sure the white rectangular box when up to the very edge of the display sides and top without crossing over into the bezels. Of course, that's not possible when dealing with a right angle display.
So now that you have your display with the same resolution but with no rounded corners can you explain how the fuck that could be made without changing the casing so that it also has right angles so it could also keep, as you say, "the same […] bezel depth"? Are you even aware of how the curves in the casing adds to its structural intregrtity or is that also one of those engineering decisions that you believe is a form over function?
You put a lot of honest effort into discussion with the trolls. I commend you.
Cue the outrage of those who claim that those few lost pixels in the corners are critical to their workflow..
Ugh! I hope corner-gate doesn't happen, but if the internet has taught me anything is that if you can think of it then someone will complain about it.
But this is a pure example of form over function, which you've railed against before?
If after 11 months of being on the market you can't understand how the iPhone X maximizing as much of the front-face as possible with the display allows for a better user experience since the display is the primary UI then I don't think there's anything I can say that will ever make you understand how the iPhone X was designed with functionality in mind.
How is this is relevant to rounded corners?
The iPhone X (which I have, like, and am not complaining about) could have the same display size, resolution, and bezel depth, while not having rounded corners.
Form over function.
So you're complaining that the iPhone X casing wasn't made larger so that it could accommodate 90° angles at the display corners and you don't understand how increasing the size of the casing and removing the curves from the casing would affect the utility of the device? ߤ榺wj;♂️
Because you're not one to do even a modicum of research of analysis to back up any point (being generous here) that you may have, I decided to create a mockup of the iPhone X that you say would be perfectly fine with "the same display size, resolution, and bezel depth, while not having rounded corners." I did my best to make sure the white rectangular box when up to the very edge of the display sides and top without crossing over into the bezels. Of course, that's not possible when dealing with a right angle display.
So now that you have your display with the same resolution but with no rounded corners can you explain how the fuck that could be made without changing the casing so that it also has right angles so it could also keep, as you say, "the same […] bezel depth"? Are you even aware of how the curves in the casing adds to its structural intregrtity or is that also one of those engineering decisions that you believe is a form over function?
I didn't say the case wouldn't need to change. Nice mockup (how did you manage to fuck up the notch?), but you've wasted your time in your determination to miss the point.
And again, I'm not complaining. I like the form. I'm also not in denial that it's form over function, and that sometimes that's an ok thing to be.
It will be interesting to see how Apple handles the Apple Watch now:
With dark mode, just like the current AW's massive bezel, square corners wouldn't really be an issue on the phones either, only when a photo is displayed -- which is not necessarily a bad thing. But I would expect it to match the X, and crop the corners of images.
It will be interesting to see how Apple handles the Apple Watch now:
With dark mode, just like the current AW's massive bezel, square corners wouldn't really be an issue on the phones either, only when a photo is displayed -- which is not necessarily a bad thing. But I would expect it to match the X, and crop the corners of images.
The use of OLED on the watch, the black border and UI all made it seem more seamless and elegant, but I’m assuming they’d want to go with rounded corners with a consistent bezel on that display, too, when they make it bigger. The foundations of the iPhone X HIG would still be in effect.
Cue the outrage of those who claim that those few lost pixels in the corners are critical to their workflow..
Ugh! I hope corner-gate doesn't happen, but if the internet has taught me anything is that if you can think of it then someone will complain about it.
But this is a pure example of form over function, which you've railed against before?
If after 11 months of being on the market you can't understand how the iPhone X maximizing as much of the front-face as possible with the display allows for a better user experience since the display is the primary UI then I don't think there's anything I can say that will ever make you understand how the iPhone X was designed with functionality in mind.
How is this is relevant to rounded corners?
The iPhone X (which I have, like, and am not complaining about) could have the same display size, resolution, and bezel depth, while not having rounded corners.
Form over function.
So you're complaining that the iPhone X casing wasn't made larger so that it could accommodate 90° angles at the display corners and you don't understand how increasing the size of the casing and removing the curves from the casing would affect the utility of the device? ߤ榺wj;♂️
Because you're not one to do even a modicum of research of analysis to back up any point (being generous here) that you may have, I decided to create a mockup of the iPhone X that you say would be perfectly fine with "the same display size, resolution, and bezel depth, while not having rounded corners." I did my best to make sure the white rectangular box when up to the very edge of the display sides and top without crossing over into the bezels. Of course, that's not possible when dealing with a right angle display.
So now that you have your display with the same resolution but with no rounded corners can you explain how the fuck that could be made without changing the casing so that it also has right angles so it could also keep, as you say, "the same […] bezel depth"? Are you even aware of how the curves in the casing adds to its structural intregrtity or is that also one of those engineering decisions that you believe is a form over function?
I didn't say the case wouldn't need to change. Nice mockup (how did you manage to fuck up the notch?), but you've wasted your time in your determination to miss the point.
And again, I'm not complaining. I like the form. I'm also not in denial that it's form over function, and that sometimes that's an ok thing to be.
smh. The entire existence of the notch is function over form.
The rounded corners are an elegant solution to a device that has rounded corners and is also function induced, as it allows for thinner bezels. Nothing important is lost at the corners because of the “safe area” apps lay their content into.
Oh but the outrage. The eternal, burning outrage...
Cue the outrage of those who claim that those few lost pixels in the corners are critical to their workflow..
Ugh! I hope corner-gate doesn't happen, but if the internet has taught me anything is that if you can think of it then someone will complain about it.
But this is a pure example of form over function, which you've railed against before?
If after 11 months of being on the market you can't understand how the iPhone X maximizing as much of the front-face as possible with the display allows for a better user experience since the display is the primary UI then I don't think there's anything I can say that will ever make you understand how the iPhone X was designed with functionality in mind.
How is this is relevant to rounded corners?
The iPhone X (which I have, like, and am not complaining about) could have the same display size, resolution, and bezel depth, while not having rounded corners.
Form over function.
So you're complaining that the iPhone X casing wasn't made larger so that it could accommodate 90° angles at the display corners and you don't understand how increasing the size of the casing and removing the curves from the casing would affect the utility of the device? ߤ榺wj;♂️
Because you're not one to do even a modicum of research of analysis to back up any point (being generous here) that you may have, I decided to create a mockup of the iPhone X that you say would be perfectly fine with "the same display size, resolution, and bezel depth, while not having rounded corners." I did my best to make sure the white rectangular box when up to the very edge of the display sides and top without crossing over into the bezels. Of course, that's not possible when dealing with a right angle display.
So now that you have your display with the same resolution but with no rounded corners can you explain how the fuck that could be made without changing the casing so that it also has right angles so it could also keep, as you say, "the same […] bezel depth"? Are you even aware of how the curves in the casing adds to its structural intregrtity or is that also one of those engineering decisions that you believe is a form over function?
I didn't say the case wouldn't need to change. Nice mockup (how did you manage to fuck up the notch?), but you've wasted your time in your determination to miss the point.
And again, I'm not complaining. I like the form. I'm also not in denial that it's form over function, and that sometimes that's an ok thing to be.
smh. The entire existence of the notch is function over form.
The rounded corners are an elegant solution to a device that has rounded corners and is also function induced, as it allows for thinner bezels. Nothing important is lost at the corners because of the “safe area” apps lay their content into.
Oh but the outrage. The eternal, burning outrage…
I gave up after he said, "how did you manage to fuck up the notch?," despite my explanation of exactly what I did to show where the corners would be without the rounding the corners of the display.
Cue the outrage of those who claim that those few lost pixels in the corners are critical to their workflow..
Ugh! I hope corner-gate doesn't happen, but if the internet has taught me anything is that if you can think of it then someone will complain about it.
But this is a pure example of form over function, which you've railed against before?
If after 11 months of being on the market you can't understand how the iPhone X maximizing as much of the front-face as possible with the display allows for a better user experience since the display is the primary UI then I don't think there's anything I can say that will ever make you understand how the iPhone X was designed with functionality in mind.
How is this is relevant to rounded corners?
The iPhone X (which I have, like, and am not complaining about) could have the same display size, resolution, and bezel depth, while not having rounded corners.
Form over function.
So you're complaining that the iPhone X casing wasn't made larger so that it could accommodate 90° angles at the display corners and you don't understand how increasing the size of the casing and removing the curves from the casing would affect the utility of the device? ߤ榺wj;♂️
Because you're not one to do even a modicum of research of analysis to back up any point (being generous here) that you may have, I decided to create a mockup of the iPhone X that you say would be perfectly fine with "the same display size, resolution, and bezel depth, while not having rounded corners." I did my best to make sure the white rectangular box when up to the very edge of the display sides and top without crossing over into the bezels. Of course, that's not possible when dealing with a right angle display.
So now that you have your display with the same resolution but with no rounded corners can you explain how the fuck that could be made without changing the casing so that it also has right angles so it could also keep, as you say, "the same […] bezel depth"? Are you even aware of how the curves in the casing adds to its structural intregrtity or is that also one of those engineering decisions that you believe is a form over function?
I didn't say the case wouldn't need to change. Nice mockup (how did you manage to fuck up the notch?), but you've wasted your time in your determination to miss the point.
And again, I'm not complaining. I like the form. I'm also not in denial that it's form over function, and that sometimes that's an ok thing to be.
smh. The entire existence of the notch is function over form.
The rounded corners are an elegant solution to a device that has rounded corners and is also function induced, as it allows for thinner bezels. Nothing important is lost at the corners because of the “safe area” apps lay their content into.
Oh but the outrage. The eternal, burning outrage…
I gave up after he said, "how did you manage to fuck up the notch?," despite my explanation of exactly what I did to show where the corners would be without the rounding the corners of the display.
Cue the outrage of those who claim that those few lost pixels in the corners are critical to their workflow..
Ugh! I hope corner-gate doesn't happen, but if the internet has taught me anything is that if you can think of it then someone will complain about it.
But this is a pure example of form over function, which you've railed against before?
If after 11 months of being on the market you can't understand how the iPhone X maximizing as much of the front-face as possible with the display allows for a better user experience since the display is the primary UI then I don't think there's anything I can say that will ever make you understand how the iPhone X was designed with functionality in mind.
How is this is relevant to rounded corners?
The iPhone X (which I have, like, and am not complaining about) could have the same display size, resolution, and bezel depth, while not having rounded corners.
Form over function.
So you're complaining that the iPhone X casing wasn't made larger so that it could accommodate 90° angles at the display corners and you don't understand how increasing the size of the casing and removing the curves from the casing would affect the utility of the device? ߤ榺wj;♂️
Because you're not one to do even a modicum of research of analysis to back up any point (being generous here) that you may have, I decided to create a mockup of the iPhone X that you say would be perfectly fine with "the same display size, resolution, and bezel depth, while not having rounded corners." I did my best to make sure the white rectangular box when up to the very edge of the display sides and top without crossing over into the bezels. Of course, that's not possible when dealing with a right angle display.
So now that you have your display with the same resolution but with no rounded corners can you explain how the fuck that could be made without changing the casing so that it also has right angles so it could also keep, as you say, "the same […] bezel depth"? Are you even aware of how the curves in the casing adds to its structural intregrtity or is that also one of those engineering decisions that you believe is a form over function?
I didn't say the case wouldn't need to change. Nice mockup (how did you manage to fuck up the notch?), but you've wasted your time in your determination to miss the point.
And again, I'm not complaining. I like the form. I'm also not in denial that it's form over function, and that sometimes that's an ok thing to be.
smh. The entire existence of the notch is function over form.
The rounded corners are an elegant solution to a device that has rounded corners and is also function induced, as it allows for thinner bezels. Nothing important is lost at the corners because of the “safe area” apps lay their content into.
Oh but the outrage. The eternal, burning outrage…
I gave up after he said, "how did you manage to fuck up the notch?," despite my explanation of exactly what I did to show where the corners would be without the rounding the corners of the display.
I understand what you did, I just don’t understand why you did it so badly. Extending the display lines to a rectangle shouldn’t have required overdrawing the notch.
Comments
It’s funny, Macs artificially kept the rounded corners alive for many years after moving to LCD displays, along the top of the menu bar. I always hated that. Now we appear to be going back to it. I imagine the Apple Watch will likewise take this approach as they are rumored to enlarge their display area without necessarily enlarging the watch dimensions.
The iPhone X already handles this issue, so it’s likely something Apple has already addressed, as they typically do.
i fully expect the Apple Watch to take this approach as well given the rumor of enlarging the display area without necessarily changing the case dimensions. Apple always makes adapting existing software relatively easy for the developer when they make these changes, as they did going from the iPhone to iPad, 3.5” iPhone to 4”, and beyond. And it’s another reason why should Apple offer a round Apple Watch, the developer won’t have too many major hurdles to jump in order to adapt their existing software, or design in a round environment vs. square.
The iPad on the other hand is a device that begs to be touched and held in your hands, like a clipboard, so having rounded corners makes it more inviting to touch. Sure, the device edges have always been rounded but rounding the edge of the display too makes the overall design more coherent - especially now that the bezels are so thin. It's a subtle difference that makes the whole design more seamless from edge to edge, at least in my opinion. Now let's see if they actually do it.
Bezel about 9mm if the physical dimensions from the latest rumor are accurate. Resolution approx. 2380 x 1666.
And that's without even considering that the iPad will likely have thin bezels just thick enough to support the Face ID components without the unsightly (form) yet necessary (function) notch in the way of a few pixels, since there's functionality to be had from having some area for a bezel due to how we hold these vastly iOS-based devices due to their size and weight.
Adding to that, if the new iPad display size and resolution (which includes an inherent reference to aspect ratio based on those values) is the same as it current is, then it would be minor loss of function in that regard, but the current leaks and rumours seem to indicate that the display size and resolution will be increased (along with a new aspect ratio). Overall this additional functionality makes sense to me, just as Apple made the iPhone X the same physical width as the 4.7" iPhone and created a detailed HIG that would allow users to get more data on screen without sacrificing anything that had on the previous 4.7" iPhone.
PS: The one thing I haven't sen mention is where the Face ID tech would be placed. With the iPhone putting it at the top-center when held vertically makes the most sense, but with an iPad that was designed from the start to be rotated in 4 orientations where to place it? Touch ID had to be centered, but with Face ID—if it is hidden into a thin bezel around the border, would be more ideal to offset the component closer to, say, the upper-left side of the bezel when holding in portrait mode (with the Sleep/Wake button on top).
This might offer 2 distinct benefits: 1 ) It could allow for Face ID to still work in a fairly ideal way when held in landscape if turned clockwise 90° which would putt the Face ID components to the upper-right side of the bezel, and 2) potentially keep the user's hands from covering the Face ID components, assuming that one doesn't tend to hold it at the very top of the display.
This may not work if you rotate the device count-clockwise by 90 or 180°. I wonder if portrait mode is the best place for offsetting the Face ID tech since it's the smaller length. Perhaps landscape would offer a better experience with less potential for obstruction due to the longer length of the side.
The iPhone X (which I have, like, and am not complaining about) could have the same display size, resolution, and bezel depth, while not having rounded corners.
Form over function.
Because you're not one to do even a modicum of research of analysis to back up any point (being generous here) that you may have, I decided to create a mockup of the iPhone X that you say would be perfectly fine with "the same display size, resolution, and bezel depth, while not having rounded corners." I did my best to make sure the white rectangular box when up to the very edge of the display sides and top without crossing over into the bezels. Of course, that's not possible when dealing with a right angle display.
So now that you have your display with the same resolution but with no rounded corners can you explain how the fuck that could be made without changing the casing so that it also has right angles so it could also keep, as you say, "the same […] bezel depth"? Are you even aware of how the curves in the casing adds to its structural intregrtity or is that also one of those engineering decisions that you believe is a form over function?
And again, I'm not complaining. I like the form. I'm also not in denial that it's form over function, and that sometimes that's an ok thing to be.
With dark mode, just like the current AW's massive bezel, square corners wouldn't really be an issue on the phones either, only when a photo is displayed -- which is not necessarily a bad thing. But I would expect it to match the X, and crop the corners of images.
The rounded corners are an elegant solution to a device that has rounded corners and is also function induced, as it allows for thinner bezels. Nothing important is lost at the corners because of the “safe area” apps lay their content into.
Oh but the outrage. The eternal, burning outrage...