2018 is all about the display, and the notch has now become a staple in many smartphones. We have not seen more than one notch on a smartphone yet, but it seems like Google thinks the day is not far and has imposed some ground rules for notches.
Android UI product manager Megan Potoski wrote on a blog post for developers yesterday, that Google is working on a mandate for Android P. According to the mandate, Android P phones cannot have more than two cutouts on a device. Only one notch is allowed per side and notches are only allowed on the top and bottom edges, not on the left or the right.
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The point here is to make sure that all apps display properly irrespective of the device. While some apps natively support it, some do not. Android P includes controls to let apps choose whether they want to make use of the notch or not. While we have not yet seen a multi-notched smartphone, there is a possibility that phone makers make one with two or even three notches (not sure if that’s the greatest of ideas, but you never know). The notch is a perfect example of a design method that took off overnight and is now a staple.
