Since the release of Apple's iPhone X last year, there has been a steady influx of phones with notches from many companies, including Nokia, OPPO, OnePlus, and Leagoo. In fact, even Google's upcoming Pixel handsets are expected to sport a notch, with the company also officially announcing support for it in its Android P developer previews.
That said, Google has now stated that while it is fine to have one or even two display cutouts in Android devices, having more than that is definitely not permitted.
In a blog post on its Android Developers website, Google detailed how developers should modify their app's code in order to incorporate up to two notches, and displays with 18:9 or more aspect ratios. The company explained how it had made it easier for developers to utilize the cutout area efficiently in Android P, and also encouraged them to test their apps using an Android P device or the Android Emulator before publication.
More importantly for device manufacturers, Google laid down the following guidelines regarding display cutouts:
- You won't see multiple cutouts on a single edge, or more than two cutouts on a device.
- You won't see a cutout on the left or right long edge of the device.
Since we haven't seen any Android device with more than one notch yet, both the aforementioned restrictions are rather interesting.
It is also important to note that Google has little control over the type of Android devices that manufacturers build, so the restrictions are more like warnings for device-makers. It's highly likely that we'll see companies trying to do something unique and different with display cutouts, perhaps even going over Google's recommended limit, but they'll have to keep in mind the risk given that apps will be designed for two notches at most.
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