Xiaomi just patented a phone with a weird-looking inverted notch
Xiaomi's most recent notch
Since notches first arrive back in 2017, smartphone brands have attempted a range of implementations ranging from wide ones to much subtler waterdrop alternatives. One thing that hasn’t been attempted, however, is an outward facing one. But Xiaomi’s latest patent suggests it could be working on one.
In what is presumably an attempt at creating a low-cost smartphone that also presents a notchless display, Xiaomi’s latest patent envisions a smartphone that features minimal bezels and a rather large hump on the very top of the device. This looks exactly like an inverted notch and is home to the in-ear speaker and two selfie cameras.
On more expensive devices such as the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3, the Chinese brand has chosen to implement a slider design that hides the front-facing cameras and allows for an all-screen design. However, this comes at an added cost that most likely wouldn’t be financially viable in the low-end segment. The company is also rumored to be working on two flagships with pop-up cameras but, once again, this is a costly feature.
Different inverted notch smartphone designs
Things that are NOT allowed: