One of the most controversial design trends of 2018 was the appearance of the notch. Essential PH-1 was the first device to feature a small indentation in the middle of the screen. Apple's iPhone X debuted its version of the notch, and soon after, every other Android smartphone maker followed the lead with their take on the notch.

The notch seeping its way into mainstream smartphone design has been controversial since day one. Aesthetically, the asymmetry of the screen makes it look awful.

When the phone is vertical, the status bar and notifications are cut off. When viewing a video in landscape mode, most phones include software to hide the notch by applying black bars on either side.

Smartphone owners have expressed their displeasure with the notch on social media. Plenty of threads on Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit have cropped up asking if anyone genuinely enjoys the notch on their phone.

Manufacturers are listening to this feedback though, as the most recent designs for 2019 appear to be abandoning the notch. 

Are Sliders the Answer to the Notch?

Several smartphone manufacturers are abandoning the notch in favor of re-introducing slider smartphones.

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 was revealed last October and featured a sliding panel that rises to reveal the front-facing selfie cam. Honor followed that reveal a week later with a slider phone of a similar design, tucking the selfie cam behind a sliding panel.

The primary concern about slider phones is whether the mechanical sliding motion will fail at some point in the phone's life. The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 uses a magnetic system to keep the slider in place. Xiaomi says it's good for 300,000 cycles, which is three times the lifespan of mechanical sliding mechanisms.

Manufacturers are also exploring ways to make the sliding mechanism useful. The Mi Mix 3 offers the ability to customize which app appears when the device slides open.

Lenovo and Oppo are also experimenting with sliding phones this year with the reveal of the Lenovo Z5 Pro and the Oppo Find X. But the sliding smartphone isn't the only way manufacturers are tackling the notch. 

Samsung's Approach

We're less than a week away from Samsung's Unpacked event where the Galaxy S10 series will be revealed. However, several leaks have managed to get their hands on the device early, giving us an idea of what to expect.

The Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ will feature a hole-punch design for the camera. The Galaxy S10 features a small hole for the single camera, while the larger Galaxy S10+ will feature two cameras and a larger hole.

These camera holes are positioned on the right side of the phone and do not interrupt the function of the status bar and notifications. 

Apple Status: Notched

While other manufacturers are finding creative ways to avoid including a camera notch on their bezel-less devices, rumors suggest Apple is stuck with the notch through 2020.

Leakers suggest the iPhone 2019 will still feature the notch we've all grown to hate, while the 2020 version will feature Samsung's take on removing the notch. 

Trade Up And Go Notchless

With smartphone manufacturers turning away from the notch, now is the perfect time to upgrade your smartphone. You can trade your device for cash at GadgetTraders.co. We'll offer you a fair price based on the condition of your device.