Samsung patent reveals 'iPhone X killer' that has HOLES in the display instead of a notch
- Samsung patent details phone that has huge, front-facing display and no notch
- Cutting-edge design features built-in holes that house cameras, other sensors
- Apple has faced backlash from critics who say the iPhone X notch is unsightly
Samsung may have discovered a solution to the iPhone X's ugly 'notch' problem.
In a newly discovered patent, Samsung shows off a prototype smartphone that has two holes drilled into the top of the screen, presumably to embed cameras and other sensors.
The phone is almost entirely bezel-free, except for some very thin borders around the edges of the phone.
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Samsung's solution to Apple's iPhone X notch involves drilling several holes at the top of the smartphone's screen. Embedded in the holes are a camera, an optical sensor and a speaker
Apple has faced some criticism from industry watchers and consumers who say the iPhone X's notch interferes with the phone's overall look and feel.
The notch is what houses the iPhone X's facial recognition sensors and front-facing selfie camera.
Some consumers found the notch so annoying that they installed a 'notch remover' app that conceals the feature with a black bar atop the iPhone's front screen.
Samsung's patented design, which was filed in May 2017, envisions a phone where the screen is uninterrupted by any imposing bezels.
A Samsung patent shows a prototype phone where cameras and other sensors are embedded into several tiny holes at the top of the screen. The phone has almost no bezels
In the filing, Samsung notes that smartphone screens have become larger, yet the size is 'restricted' by features like a speaker to receive phone calls, a camera and a home button.
The concept describes an 'electronic apparatus with a hole area' that would be able to include all those elements, plus an 'optical sensor,' presumably referring to facial recognition technology of some kind.
Users would be able to decide whether images take up the full width and length of the display, or to restrict images with a small bezel at the top and bottom of the front screen.
It's not the first time that Samsung has acknowledged Apple's shortcomings.
Samsung in November released an ad that mocked the iPhone X's notch, as well as the iPhone 7, which famously removed the headphone jack and introduced a dongle system instead.
The ad, called 'Growing Up,' also makes fun of how iPhones are notorious for running out of storage space and aren't yet fully waterproof.
If Samsung's design works well enough, it's possible that Apple may introduce it to its own line of flagship smartphones, just like it adopted wireless charging after Samsung had that feature for several years.
The patent doesn't indicate if or when Samsung may introduce a notch-less smartphone.
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