Skip to main content

The iPhone 12’s smaller notch revealed in leaked schematic

The Apple iPhone 12 may have a smaller notch than the iPhone 11 series — smaller even than each iPhone before it going back to 2018’s iPhone X.

A leak has shown a schematic purported to illustrate the layout of the newly minimized notch, and it appears to be around half the width of the current notch. It follows another recent detailed leak of the iPhone 12 Pro Max based on a series of renders, which also showed the smaller notch, and an overall design reminiscent of the iPad Pro and the iPhone 5.

Jon Prosser/Twitter.com

The small notch apparently has all the same sensors seen in today’s iPhone, meaning the Face ID system will still be used. The array starts out with the infrared camera and is joined by a flood illuminator, a dot projector, an ambient light sensor, and a proximity sensor. The selfie camera is also squeezed into the new notch, while the speaker appears to have been moved above the sensor array. This may be instrumental in shrinking down the notch.

Recommended Videos

Small notches are nothing new. We’ve been seeing notches about half the width of Apple’s iPhone notch since the start of the notch-wars in 2017, when having a smaller notch than the iPhone’s was touted as a selling point. See, for example, the LG G7 ThinQ and the Huawei P20 Pro. Rhe previous leak claimed the notch would be around the same size as the one seen on the 2018 OnePlus 6. These notches were indeed less noticeable, but they had less technology inside too.

The exact shape and size seems to be unconfirmed, with the earlier renders coming from designs obtained by accessory manufacturers, which quite often do not have the exact details, just the overall size and dimensions. What may change are the angles and curvature around the edge of the notch, as it seems to be agreed from several leakers that the width of the notch will be reduced for the iPhone 12. It’s not known whether the latest leak is based on more final information.

In addition to the smaller notch, the bezel around the iPhone 12’s screen may be smaller than the current phone, and the size of the screen on the Pro may increase to 6.1 inches, and the Pro Max model may increase to 6.7 inches. Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 12 series in the Fall, despite concerns over its 5G antenna systems being ready in time for the usual release schedule.

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Here’s one fella who can’t wait to get his hands on the iPhone Air
Alleged concept render of the iPhone 17 Air in black.

The so-called “iPhone Air” is apparently on the way, despite Apple remaining characteristically tight-lipped about such a device. 

Numerous leaks have suggested that the iPhone Air, which is expected to launch this fall along with the iPhone 17, will be just 5.5mm thick, making it easily Apple’s slimmest handset yet. 

Read more
5 phones you should buy instead of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
A person taking the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge out of a pocket.

It's an undeniable fact that smartphones have gotten larger and larger over the years. Samsung is trying to turn back the years with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, a smartphone that embraces everything we love about modern phones, but tries to make it just that little bit more svelte. The result is a phone that's just 5.9mm thick, making other flagships look like lumbering brutes.

The Galaxy S25 Edge's slimness is going to mean compromises, of course — chiefly, the battery size is smaller than its competitors, and while the build is thinner, there's a worry that could make the phone easier to damage. All of this is pure supposition until we get chance to review the phone, of course, and if you're considering buying the S25 Edge, we'd recommend waiting until our final review until you make a decision. But that doesn't change the fact that there are a number of strong smartphones out there that can do the S25 Edge's job well, and sometimes, better. Here are five phones you should buy instead of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge.

Read more
The foldable iPhone could become a yearly staple for Apple
Semi-open state of a foldable iPhone concept

South Korean tech site ET News has released a report suggesting the foldable iPhone will get an annual refresh starting in 2026. It would replace the Pro Max as the top-of-the-line iPhone model and get updated every year just like the rest of the core lineup.

The launch date for the "iPhone Fold" is still up in the air -- so while ET News is betting on 2026, we don't know if that will turn out to be accurate or not. Either way, the hype around this rumored new model is continuing to build with every new leak we get.

Read more