In the near future it looks as though all smartphones are going to end up being one big display on the front with no physical buttons. That’s fine, but it does present some problems in terms of where to position the required sensors. Apple solved the problem on the iPhone X by cutting out a notch at the top of the display. But that doesn’t look great and has caused some UI compromises.

As Lets Go Digital (translated) reports, a new Samsung patent suggests a better solution to the problem is coming. Rather than cutting out a notch at the edges of a display, Samsung came up with a way to manufacture a display with holes built-in, allowing for sensor placement wherever it wants within the panel.

This will still result in a break in the display, but rather than a big notch like the iPhone X has at the top, Samsung is introducing flexibility. There could be one small hole on either side of the screen, and those holes could be positioned in a much more convenient place so as not to mess with video playback, for example. We may even end up with a situation where the holes are so small they simply look like dead pixels on the display.

Pre-cut holes should also be a cost saver. For example, more budget-friendly phones could decide not to pay a premium for Synaptics’ new in-display fingerprint sensor and instead use a Samsung panel with a hole for a more standard fingerprint sensor to sit behind. There are some potential user interface advantages, too. Because the display surrounds every hole, visual feedback could be positioned next to each of them. For example, a little countdown timer next to the camera hole, or a progress bar around your thumb as a reading is taken.

For now, this is just a patent, but one I suspect will turn into a real solution if it means Samsung and its partners can get rid of unsightly notches that make their phones look a little ugly. And if it works really well, don’t bet against Apple ending up being a customer for it, too.

http://www.pcmag.com/news/358628/samsung-patent-tips-smartphone-display-with-sensor-holes?source=SectionArticles