Whenever a new iPhone is released, there’s always talk about “the notch.” Will the notch be in the new design? If it is, why is the notch still there? When will Apple get rid of the notch? Since the notch was first introduced in 2017, its design has remained unchanged, much to the chagrin of notch-haters. If you count yourself among them, you’ll be happy to hear that leaks of the iPhone 13 design feature a smaller notch.
Yes, it’s still there. But it is smaller in width because the earpiece is moving up into the top screen bezel. The total reduction in width is about 30%, according to the leaked photos.
If you’ve read this far and you’re wondering, “What is a notch?”, it’s the little black strip at the top of the iPhone where the top speaker, camera, microphone, and sensors are all housed. Some people don’t mind it, but a vocal minority complain about how it cuts into the display.
The smaller notch iPhone 13 is expected to come out this fall, but if you’re holding out for a notch-less version, you’ll have to wait a little bit longer—Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that the earliest we can expect a notch-free iPhone is 2023.