Once we received work that Android P would include support for the notch, many started to speculate that we’d see the Google Pixel 3 design follow in Apple’s footsteps – and it’s looking as if they were right.
When Apple released the iPhone X, the design of the phone was controversial to say the least. With the unique notch design, the smartphone world was divided as to whether it was a good thing or an ugly inclusion that we were better off without.
There’s no use denying that the design change was successful, however, with the iPhone X becoming the fastest selling iPhone in history – and Android manufacturers are hoping to follow suit, as evidenced by the release of several new Android flagships that follow a similar design philosophy.
When Android P, the new version of the Android operating system, was announced with support for the Notch, many people were convinced that the Google Pixel 3 design would be similar to the iPhone X, and new reports suggest that the Google PIxel 3 design will feature an all-screen setup similar to what we saw with the iPhone X.
The Android P public beta was released last week, and it adds new iPhone X-sequence gestures to the Android operating system. It turns out that the beta does actually contain a detail that hints at what we might see from the Google Pixel 3 design. Android Police explains that Android P brings a brand new way of showing notifications that seems to suggest that a notch with the Google Pixel 3 is in the works.
The Google PIxel 3 design will feature four notifications on the left side of the screen. The remaining space between the left and right of the screen doesn’t get any content, which suggests that that empty space will be filled by a notch on both the PIxel 3 and Pixel 3 XL.
While it’s possible these notification settings were implemented for other devices, many are convinced that it’s a foreshadowing of what we’ll see with the Google Pixel 3 device. We’ve already received word that the Google Pixel 3 is pretty far along in development with the company already actively testing it, so the upgrade to Android P would make sense given the potential design changes we’ll see with the upcoming device.
One thing that’s worth noting is that the Google Pixel 3 design may actually feature a notch pretty prominently as part of its display. While many companies are trying to make the notch as unassuming as possible, Google may be charging full speed ahead with a Notch that takes up a significant portion of the top of the phone – at least according to the coding for the way notifications are spaced.
Fans of the Google Pixel line will obviously be divided as to support for the notch, with many Android users mocking the feature for us only to see a number of Android flagships either discuss or fully release with a similar design feature.
The Google Pixel and Pixel 2 had pretty similar designs, and it’s interesting that the Google Pixel 3 design might take a significant departure from the first two devices. While it’s not unusual for a company to change things up with new devices, it’s a little more rare for such a massive design change to happen on a company’s third device.
We’ll have to wait until we get closer to release for more information on the Google Pixel 3 design, but considering the upgrades to Android P and recent trends in the smartphone industry it wouldn’t be unexpected to see such a feature included on the latest flagship from the technology giant.
Interestingly enough, Apple reportedly plans to ditch the notch design as soon as next year which means that Android may be lagging behind when it comes to design trends as they try to capitalize on the company’s success.
It remains to be seen whether the Google Pixel 3 design will be a hit or a miss with the Android community, but considering the collective disdain for Apple that is often present among Android fans it will be a hard sell for a number of fans.
