14 DAY TRIAL // Apple’s highly-controversial iPhone X notch could soon become a widely-adopted feature, as Google itself is working on preparing the upcoming version of Android for similar technology on next-generation phones.
Codenamed Pistachio Ice Cream, the next version of Android is projected to land in the summer with a substantial software overhaul, which Bloomberg says will be in contradiction to Apple’s upcoming iOS update that would only focus on performance refinements and security.
But the star of the show in the new version of Android will be support for a notch, a feature that Apple rolled out last year on the iPhone X. The notch is placed at the top of the screen and holds the front-facing components, including the FaceTime camera and the Face ID module.
While Google will only take care of the software side of the notch, the company expects Android OEMs to invest in devices embracing it, so Android phones boasting iPhone X-like notches are expected in late 2018 and 2019.
iPhone X, an appealing design
Google believes that the design of the iPhone X with a cutout at the top of the screen is very likely to become widely successful, and this is one of the reasons it wants Android phones to be equipped with such a feature as well.
Other features coming to Android Pistachio include a revamp of Google Assistant, and the cited source says that developers will finally be allowed to integrate it into their own apps. Improved battery life on phones, plus support for some new designs, like multiple screens and foldable displays, will also be part of Android P.
While this is pretty much the first consistent speculation on Android P, it’s expected to be rather accurate, especially because Google has been trying for years to expand Android in the premium hardware business. As Bloomberg notes, Android does dominate low-end and mid-range markets, the high-end phone industry pretty much belongs to Apple, and it’s a well-known fact that users here typically spend more on apps and services.
Google itself wants to be part of this market as well, as it hopes to capitalize more on the Google Play Store and the adjacent services offered to mobile users. And if this implies having an iPhone X-like notch on Android, so be it.