On September 7, Apple will likely also introduce a few additional pieces of hardware along with the iPhone 14-series.
Digital Desk: Ahead of Apple's upcoming iPhone series' release in a few days, there will be two significant changes: the removal of the "mini" iPhone from the lineup in favour of the new non-Pro iPhone 14 Max, and the addition of a new punch-hole-meets-pill-shaped notch that many are referring to as the "i-shaped" notch.
Over the past few months, several leaked pictures and renders, including those by Twitter users "Ian Zelbo" and "DuanRui," have revealed the new notch design, which will apparently only be available on the Pro models (iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max).
The new design for Apple's front camera and other components finally provides the new Pro-series iPhones a new look, providing a much-needed update from the wide notch that, despite some size reductions, has been there since the iPhone X. Many people are still baffled by how Apple managed to cram all of its front-facing components inside the new, smaller pill-shaped cutout.
New Apple patent now explains how the company created the new notch design, as first reported by Patently Apple (via 9to5Mac). The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced a patent for a device that employs a "light folding element" that may reroute the input from the IR sensor inside the device, freeing up space for the IR sensors to be placed elsewhere inside the phone.
This is a significant development because all recent iPhone models since the iPhone X, which utilise FaceID instead of the fingerprint-based TouchID, have a huge notch on the front due to the IR emitter and scanners that power Apple's FaceID technology (not including the SE series).
Even though the new "light-folding element" technology prevents the design from being totally notch-free just yet, it does open the door for the notch to change into an implementation known as the "i-shaped pill notch," which has a more contemporary appearance and provides more screen space.
However, if you connect the dots between the Patently Apple report and the leaks we've seen so far, it does appear that Apple used this mechanism to redesign its notch. It should be noted that the report doesn't explicitly confirm that this mechanism powers the new "i-shaped" notch, nor does it confirm that devices with the said mechanism will launch this year.
On September 7, Apple will likely also introduce a few additional pieces of hardware along with the iPhone 14-series. During the launch event, we ought to learn more specific information about the new notch design.
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