The iPhone Notch: Making Sense Of Form And Function
When the iPhone X was first released, there was plenty of hype around it. However, it was not the wow factor that was most impressive about the flagship. In fact, there did not seem to be really anything innovative, just more enhanced features. That least attractive part about the iPhone X has got to be the notch. This is the top part of the smartphone’s forehead, which prominently appears as the distinguishing feature of the new iPhone generation. Many do not like how it looks, yet many smartphone makers followed Apple’s new design with their brand. Many seem to like Apple’s lead on cutting edge design. The notch is just not something nice to look at.
The notch takes up vital screen real estate. While Apple’s competitors have moved in bezeless and more screen space for the display, Apple remains with its design even with the next version of the iPhone X, the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. The notch can be distracting, but to some techies like MKBHD, it doesn’t really matter because it becomes less noticeable while you are using the iPhone. So, what exactly is the notch and why did Apple create it on the iPhone X?
It was not for aesthetics, if you were to ask me. I don’t think Apple designs products just to look good, though that is what they like to do. One reason consumers buy Apple products is because they had a brilliant innovative industrial design. Honorable mentions of Apple product examples include the iPod, Power Mac G5, Mac Mini, Mac Pro, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and their accessories like the AirPod and Apple Watch. The original iPhone was truly innovative when it was first launched because of its features and design. The iPhone X seems a bit outdated compared to other smartphones in the market, but that is not exactly the truth. In fact the innovation in the iPhone X is the notch and what it is used for.
The main reason the notch exists is due to Apple’s implementation of facial recognition technology called Face ID. Apple has claimed face recognition is more secure and convenient than using a finger print sensor or entering a PIN. The Apple development team has reported that every human face is unique, so there is a 1 in 1,000,000 chance another person can unlock another person’s iPhone with Face ID. It is a rather confident claim by Apple, but a few weeks after the iPhone X release there have been reports of people being able to unlock Face ID using some tricks like what the cybersecurity firm BKav did using a 3D printed face. Some twins also claimed they could unlock the iPhone X of their sibling. Face ID has not failed despite these reports because while the system is not hack proof, it still provides a high level or reliable security. The hacks pulled off against Face ID were also not that easy to perform.
The notch is what houses the electronics and circuits used for Face ID. It includes a camera and various sensors. It uses a flood illuminator and dot projector with an infrared camera covering 30,000 points around the face. A 7 MP camera then captures the data image which is then processed by the neural network block in the A11 Bionic SoC. It first registers this data in the phone using ML (Machine Learning) to remember the image and securely stores it in a special co-processor chip Apple calls the Secure Enclave, so the data never goes over the network where it can possibly be hacked. The Secure Enclave is also encrypted to provide another layer of security. What makes Face ID different from other facial recognition systems is that it doesn’t use a 2D front facing camera. Face ID uses the True Depth camera system on the iPhone X which creates a 3D image of the face for more accurate facial recognition.
Face ID can recognize the user over time, as they age or change facial features. The 3D image of the face is what allows Face ID to be more accurate. Even if the user wears sunglasses or has facial hair, Face ID will still be able to recognize the user. As Apple’s processors become faster e.g. A11 to A12, expect unlocking with Face ID to become even faster with little to no delay. During some tests users have done, there are still times that Face ID has failed. Overall however, the Face ID system works just fine. If users don’t want to use Face ID, they still have the PIN option available.
The notch maybe ugly or unsightly for many, but it has a form and function. The reason the notch was created that way is to house the Face ID sensors and True Depth camera system. Apple’s engineers would probably have to find ways to further integrate circuits and shrink them before the notch can truly go away. Another challenge is where to place the camera and sensors other than the top of the unit. Rather than have the notch go full across the forehead of the smartphone, Apple left corners cut out for their usual function to display the time and notification/status.
It seems the notch trend is fading, with many smartphone makers moving to more screen and incorporating ways to get rid of the notch. That includes pin hole cameras, retractable cameras and even pop-up cameras that use a mechanized motor part. Perhaps that is not as sturdy or fast, but it does help with more screen by removing the front facing selfie camera to another location. For Apple it is not about that. The notch is really for a much more complex system that is not just for a camera. Imitators seem to just copy the notch, but without the really advanced features which it was created for.
Apple has a way of ending features also called “Apple Heaven”. We saw this with MagSafe2, the glowing Apple logo on the MacBook Pro, Firewire port, etc. There is a purpose to form and function for Apple products. When the feature is no longer reliable, Apple gets rid of it. They are also not conservative when it comes to using new features like Thunderbolt 3 and the Touchbar. Users actually don’t have any other choice aside from a PIN because Apple got rid of Touch ID with the iPhone X. The notch provides the iPhone X with its best security feature yet, and this is something that does have utility.
