New iPhone 12 leak shows smaller TrueDepth notch, more screen space

Two new photos shared by Apple tipster Jon Prosser shows what appears to be schematic drawings of the upcoming iPhone 12’s notch.

Apple tipster Jon Prosser shared two images on Twitter last night and they look like schematic drawings of the next-gen iPhone 12 handset. The illustrations focus on the top portion of the phone that has the famous notch and shows a TrueDepth sensor notch that is much smaller than what it is on current iPhones. (REUTERS)

Apple tipster Jon Prosser shared two images on Twitter last night and they look like schematic drawings of the next-gen iPhone 12 handset. The illustrations focus on the top portion of the phone that has the famous notch and shows a TrueDepth sensor notch that is much smaller than what it is on current iPhones.

One of the images shared by Prosser looks like a photograph of a CAD drawing that is similar to the ones seen in the past for Apple hardware leaks from partner manufacturers. The second picture, made from the information provided by the first one, shows a cleaner view of the notch design.  

Here you go, internet. 😏 pic.twitter.com/REfSw28KSX

— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) April 20, 2020

These images show a TrueDepth sensor notch that is significantly smaller than the ones seen on Apple's flagship iPhones since the iPhone X in 2017. The module layout seen in these pictures shows some updates in Apple's designs. For starters, the earpiece has been moved above the TrueDepth to be placed in the thin bezel, thus freeing up space in the notch and the surrounding area.

On the current iPhones, the speaker is placed between larger components - the dot projector and front camera on the right and the infrared flood illuminator and infrared camera on the left. The new arrangement shows the speaker positioned directly above the ambient light and proximity sensors and these have been moved inwards to take a more central location in the array. TrueDepth's transmitting and receiving packages have also been moved more towards the centre.

The iPhones 12's TrueDepth might also see a reduction in height but it is hard to say unless more detailed measurements are out.

While this is not a huge change, a smaller notch offers a few additional millimetres of screen real estate. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had mentioned a possibility of Apple reducing the iPhone notch size in July last year. Kuo had said that Apple might incorporate a new design by switching to a smaller front camera.

There were rumours about Apple removing the notch too, in September last year, as Apple was working on prototypes that squeezed TrueDepth into the iPhone's upper bezel.