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Any chance Apple will release notchless macbooks?

I think the rumor is that they will switch to a "hole punch" for the camera when the OLED models are out (late 2026 for MBP, later for MBA). Sort of like you see on some Android phones, just a circular black cut-out at the top for the camera. So it would be less obtrusive, but still a visible camera obstruction up there.

Not sure what the other option is? I don't think Apple would going back to just having a thicker "bezel" up at the top of the screen so that you don't have to have a notch. Moving the menu bar up into the bezel area gives more usable screen space.

You can hide the notch by just switching the desktop to a 16:10 desktop resolution. (You will have to use a third-party tool for this; I use BetterDisplay for it when I want to run a full-screen game that doesn't know to display below the notch.) The menu bar will move down, leaving black space at the top.
 
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Threads like this one remind me that my MBP has a notch. I just don't notice it during normal usage.

Like PotentPeas mentioned, they moved the menu bar up, and you have more real estate for your apps as a result. The notch has never been in the way since it occupies the menu bar; and when you make apps full screen, the notch doesn't show at all (you essentially have a thicker top bezel again).
 
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I think they would go to a dynamic island after the notch, like the phones. Surprised by how much I like the dynamic island on my iPhone 16, having assumed it would be a gimmick. I assume they would do this when they next refresh the body and upgrade the display. Hopefully at that time the Air would get the current Pro display - I am always tempted by the Air, but don't want to give up the crisp display on my 14".
 
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They will eventually get there but we haven't reached yet. According to rumours, the 2026 Macbook Pro which is also set to gain OLED won't have a notch. This means it will be a punch hole. It will be interesting to see if they add the Dynamic Island or Apple will just leave it like that.
 
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TechRunner said:
've never used a MacBook with a notch, so I'll let you know if I'm joining you on the anti-notch campaign trail
Click to expand...
Over time the notch becomes background noise and barely noticeable. Apps that have extended menus, such as Photoshop, place the menus around the notch. I am certain it is MacOS skipping the menu items over the notch and it seems to work quite well. That is the only time I notice the notch is because of the gap in the menu items. Otherwise, the notch is in the menu bar and does not affect what is displayed. For games and other full screen items it may be noticeable, but not for general use.
 
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raythompsontn said:
Over time the notch becomes background noise and barely noticeable. Apps that have extended menus, such as Photoshop, place the menus around the notch. I am certain it is MacOS skipping the menu items over the notch and it seems to work quite well. That is the only time I notice the notch is because of the gap in the menu items. Otherwise, the notch is in the menu bar and does not affect what is displayed. For games and other full screen items it may be noticeable, but not for general use.
Click to expand...
That's pretty much what I figured. I'll probably notice it the first few days, then it will essentially disappear.
 
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TechRunner said:
I'll probably notice it the first few days
Click to expand...
I don't think it will take that long. Within a day I did not notice the notch and only notice it now because of this topic.

Like most things, some people hate it, others find it no big deal. Whatever Apple does someone will find a reason to complain. I doubt these people know more than the Apple engineers and ergonomic people that have discussed the issues for hours before making a decision. I don't like Dodge trucks, others think the trucks are the greatest.
 
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PotentPeas said:
I think the rumor is that they will switch to a "hole punch" for the camera when the OLED models are out (late 2026 for MBP, later for MBA). Sort of like you see on some Android phones, just a circular black cut-out at the top for the camera. So it would be less obtrusive, but still a visible camera obstruction up there.

Not sure what the other option is? I don't think Apple would going back to just having a thicker "bezel" up at the top of the screen so that you don't have to have a notch. Moving the menu bar up into the bezel area gives more usable screen space.

You can hide the notch by just switching the desktop to a 16:10 desktop resolution. (You will have to use a third-party tool for this; I use BetterDisplay for it when I want to run a full-screen game that doesn't know to display below the notch.) The menu bar will move down, leaving black space at the top.
Click to expand...
Under the screen camera. Some Android phones already have it like the recent Galaxy Folds. Compromises video quality a little, but it's not like you're taking masterpieces with the MBP front facing cameras anyways.
 
I just upgraded my M1 Air to an M4 Air and... I'm still in the "the notch is annoying" phase of ownership. I probably will stop noticing it after a few more weeks.
 
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TechRunner said:
I don't have many menu bar icons, so that hasn't been an issue for me so far. Time will tell!
Click to expand...

It became more of an issue ever since I moved from a 16" MBP to a 14" MBP.

I haven't really missed the extra space in the main desktop space in going to a smaller screen, but it did make a difference in the menubar. The main menu on the left will now sometimes run into the notch and continue on the other side of the notch. In a few developer programs, the menus will run clear into the menubar icons and block them. It was a source of daily irritation until I installed Bartender to designate conditional menubar items that get hidden when space gets limited.
 
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smirking said:
It became more of an issue ever since I moved from a 16" MBP to a 14" MBP.

I haven't really missed the extra space in the main desktop space from going to a smaller screen, but it did make a difference in the menubar. The main menu on the left will now sometimes run into the notch and continue on the other side of the notch. In a few developer programs, the menus will run clear into the menubar icons and block them. It was a source of daily irritation until I installed Bartender to designate conditional menubar items that get hidden when space gets limited.
Click to expand...
I can see where that would be annoying. They're spaced out pretty well on my 14" MBP but again, I'm running light up on the menu bar.
 
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