Future of the MacBook Pro notch?

[Tyfighter01]

I'm considering getting a MacBook pro within the next couple years and I'm curious about peoples' thoughts about the future of the notch. I'm not super opposed to the notch in its current form, but if I could wait to get more functionality out of it (i.e. FaceID) I would. One the one hand, I've heard rumors that the notch is wide so that it can accommodate FaceID, so when could that happen? Next year? I don't know any reason why they would wait, assuming they have the technology (the screen being thinner than the iPhone). On the other hand, I hear iPhone 14 could revert to a 'hole punch' design for the camera, with the FaceID hardware hidden under the screen. I don't see how to reconcile these two rumors; it seems like if iPhone had FaceID hidden under the screen, MacBook would do the same thing. But I also don't think they would release only one generation of a MacBook with a notch if they were just going to change it to a holepunch shortly afterwards. So either the under-screen hardware is just too difficult to implement on the thin MacBook screen and they WILL end up with different designs for iPhone and Mac, or it is a couple generations away on both lines. In any case, I'm going to wait at least another generation (on both iPhone and Mac) to see the developments before making a decision.

Thoughts?

 

[Buck987]

Any thoughts on the future of the notch will be in one of two camps...its staying for a few years or its going some time in the future.

With a window of a couple of years you can wait and see which camp is correct.

 

[Miltz]

The notch is completely over blown. After you get the laptop and actually use it in real life it basically disappears. I only notice it when I look for it.

 

[marinersaptcomplex]

The notch is completely over blown. After you get the laptop and actually use it in real life it basically disappears. I only notice it when I look for it.

Even on the 14", I may add, with my windows a few millimeters away from the notch--it remains so deeply in my peripheral vision it almost blurs into a non-existent artifact of the menu bar.

Much more noticeable is the rounded corners on the screen edge (mainly because you would use this area quite a bit in the menu bar, as opposed to the center).

 

[Realityck]

I've heard rumors that the notch is wide so that it can accommodate FaceID, so when could that happen? Next year? I don't know any reason why they would wait, assuming they have the technology (the screen being thinner than the iPhone).

Per Apple

Joanna Stern interviewed a couple of Apple execs for her MacBook Pro review and was basically told that Touch ID is more convenient on a laptop because… your hands are already on the keyboard.

I can see how with a iPhone you can use it to unlock your iPhone, but with the increased interaction of device security, having to purposely look at the screen for FaceID all the time to work is not as practical as the Touch ID. Even the iPad mini 6 I use offers a Touch ID button. Some people make it out that is because the Face ID is a foundation part of iPhones it should be in all their products. But take a look how big/complex its is from iFixit teardown.

 

[Tyfighter01]

The notch is completely over blown. After you get the laptop and actually use it in real life it basically disappears. I only notice it when I look for it.

Having played with it briefly in the store I would agree, I'm okay with the notch as-is. I guess my question is more about whether we should really expect FaceID on the Mac any time soon, and if so what form factor that will take.

 

[Tyfighter01]

I can see how with a iPhone you can use it to unlock your iPhone, but with the increased interaction of device security, having to purposely look at the screen for FaceID all the time to work is not as practical as the Touch ID. Even the iPad mini 6 I use offers a Touch ID button.

I definitely miss the TouchID on my previous iPhone 8. I think it made a lot of sense on a mobile device. But I think FaceID could actually make more sense on a laptop, which is basically always directed towards your face. My wife has a windows laptop with a face recognition-to-unlock feature and it is pretty slick.

 

[fwmireault]

Having played with it briefly in the store I would agree, I'm okay with the notch as-is. I guess my question is more about whether we should really expect FaceID on the Mac any time soon, and if so what form factor that will take.

Gurman said recently that we were still a few years away from having FaceID on the Mac. If this statement is true, I doubt the next gen MacBook Pro will have this feature, but I definitely think we got a notch larger than needed because it will eventually house FaceID. I presume that it would be easier to engineer the FaceID components in an iMac than a MacBook Pro because of the form factor. Now, I don't know why Apple would add a notch on the MacBook while trying to get rid of it on the iPhone, maybe the said form factor will make under-screen FaceID more difficult to implement. Only speculating here.

 

[DHagan4755]

While it's obvious the notch was a compromise, keep in mind this MacBook Pro design is new to us but many years old to the engineers inside Apple. Who knows if one of the things that held it up was because of this particular issue. It's highly likely they've designed a camera housing that eliminates the need for the notch but it's not ready yet.

 

[Natzoo]

It is weird that they put the notch on the pro lineup, not sure how a professional device would benefit from a cutout in the display. However, I understand its purpose but it doesn't feel professional but it is just a name like "max".

 

[marinersaptcomplex]

I doubt the next gen MacBook Pro will have this feature

I think the next iteration of MacBook Pros might have new features, other than spec bumps. I doubt there will be any new major features brought out between now and late 2025. Similar to the last generation MacBook Pros, which were essentially unchanged between 2016-2021 expect for fixes to issues (butterfly keyboard/esc key) and a slight reduction in bezels on the larger model. The chassis is unlikely to change.

 

[Booji]

What's a notch? I can't seem to find it.

 

[Micka88]

It would have been wise to offer two types of Macbook - Macbook Social (for those who need to shoot themselves by some camera online) and Macbook Professional (for those who need to work on it without having part of the workspace covered by some totally useless webcamera)

 

[Booji]

It would have been wise to offer two types of Macbook - Macbook Social (for those who need to shoot themselves by some camera online) and Macbook Professional (for those who need to work on it without having part of the workspace covered by some totally useless webcamera)

Would that include removing the whole menu bar which is a unique aspect of macOS?

 

[DMG35]

I think the notch is there for one reason and one reaon only. To get its introduction out of the way. There isn't a reason for it to be there in the size that it is because there is literally only a webcam underneath it. It doesn't have all the tech that a faceID camera has in it like the iPhone. The camera in these MacBook's honestly is not very good (an improvement over the intel models, barely) so its not like its hiding a bunch of crazy tech in it.

I really think they just put it there so that when they introduce faceID for the Mac they don't have to add the notch to the next MacBook and hear everyone complain about it. The notch has been introduced and is out of the way and now all Apple has to do is introduce faceID on the next model and no one will even ask about the notch because we'll all be expecting it.

 

[Booji]

I think the notch is there for one reason and one reaon only. To get its introduction out of the way. There isn't a reason for it to be there in the size that it is because there is literally only a webcam underneath it. It doesn't have all the tech that a faceID camera has in it like the iPhone. The camera in these MacBook's honestly is not very good (an improvement over the intel models, barely) so its not like its hiding a bunch of crazy tech in it.

I really think they just put it there so that when they introduce faceID for the Mac they don't have to add the notch to the next MacBook and here everyone complain about it. The notch has been introduced and is out of the way and now all Apple has to do is introduce faceID on the next model and no one will even ask about the notch because we'll all be expecting it.

Honestly, I don't understand the fuss about it. The center of menu bar was unused space. As for the camera quality, I do get unsolicited comments on Zoom meetings on how clear my image is. I came from a Surface Pro 7 and it is huge improvement.

 

[DMG35]

Honestly, I don't understand the fuss about it. The center of menu bar was unused space. As for the camera quality, I do get unsolicited comments on Zoom meetings on how clear my image is. I came from a Surface Pro 7 and it is huge improvement.

I think the fuss about it is that other manufacturers are able to make their devices without a notch and as the largest tech company in the world maybe Apple should be able to do this too.

And as far as the camera quality I would hope that its better than the surface pro which is a couple of years old. I'm not saying its terrible but its not that big of a jump from the previous models and the notch doesn't really serve a purpose for what the camera is.

And you must have some issue with it or you wouldn't be hiding it in your menu bar as seen in your previous picture.

 

[ugru]

Guys the notch, hideous as it is, is going to stay...

Is not a problem of technical capability to implement a camera or face ID in the bezels or more screen real estate.....it is only a matter of brand recognition...

Look at the new Batman Trailer for example, can any of you tell which brand of telephone is this?

 

[Booji]

And you must have some issue with it or you wouldn't be hiding it in your menu bar as seen in your previous picture.

Not hiding it - I go totally black background in all of my configurations including Windows

 

[DMG35]

Not hiding it - I go totally black background in all of my configurations including Windows

You were promoting the fact that you can't see the notch on your Macbook Pro so its a clear indication that you don't want to look at it.

 

[DMG35]

Guys the notch, hideous as it is, is going to stay...

Is not a problem of technical capability to implement a camera or face ID in the bezels or more screen real estate.....it is only a matter of brand recognition...

Look at the new Batman Trailer for example, can any of you tell which brand of telephone is this?

View attachment 1941458

All indications are that the notch is going away with the iPhone 14. They already shrunk it with the 13. It isn't here to stay and will eventually go away.

 

[Fishrrman]

My predictions:

For years, people complained about "the big bezels".
So...
Finally, Apple "shrunk the bezel".
But...
They had to keep the camera at the top/center of the display.
So...
"The notch" became necessary.
Thus...
So long as the bezel remains "small", "the notch" is going to be there.

I would guess that will be... for some years to come.

If you're waiting for the "return of the notchless MacBook Pro"... you may be waiting a LONG time.

 

[Micka88]

Would that include removing the whole menu bar which is a unique aspect of macOS?

No, that would include to see it complete, without being cut by the notch

 

[Bandaman]

The notch is completely over blown. After you get the laptop and actually use it in real life it basically disappears. I only notice it when I look for it.

It's not. I finally got to see it in person ... and it's absolutely awful. It's okay on the phone (though I hate it on the phone too). It is an absolute eyesore on the laptop. But that's my personal thoughts. I absolutely hate it.

 

[Micka88]

Having an external monitor without notch looks just great and normal (the upper menu), back to MBP - awful with the notch