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How the iPhone 8’s edge-to-edge screen changes the UI

We’ve seen the leaks of the new “all screen” iPhone 8, thanks to the Homepod firmware. Most first reactions focused on the top cutout for the front camera, speaker, and proximity sensor. Now as the leak has all but been confirmed, we have started talking about the UI of the next generation iPhone. iOS is going to change drastically, something we haven’t seen since iOS 7. We’re going to have a software home button and a notch on the top. I have a feeling Apple will embrace the notch, similar to Essential embracing the camera cutout.

The iPhone 8 will embrace the top notch

Max Rudberg, a developer, and designer, published a blog post speculating on what the edge-to-edge display would mean for the UI of iOS. The mock ups aren’t much different from what we already have in iOS 10 or the beta of iOS 11. The only significant change is the software home button. Max believes Apple will take one of two routes. Apple could either embrace the cut out and make the screen pop by making the top and bottom bars blend with the OS, or Apple could make the top or bottom bar blend with the edges by making them black.

I doubt Apple will want the status bars to blend; they want the screen to pop. White bars will show case the screen better than Android could. Another big take away from the embrace of the notch, the second phone mock up, is the curved edges. Samsung curves the edges of the Galaxy S8, and if Apple sticks with 90-degree angles, it’ll make the bezels of the phone stand out more. Last big question I have is – where is the time?!? If the top notch is there where will Apple put the clock? I constantly look at the small clock and pull down for the menu right where the notch is.

Max does note at the end of his blog post he could and is likely wrong. We won’t know what Apple chooses to do until they release the phone in early to late September. I would put money on them leaning towards making the screen stand out by embracing the top notch.

Let me know what you think in the comments below! Tell me what mock up you think iOS 11 on the iPhone 8 will resemble the final version.

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