What with the explosion that erupted surrounding the family of Android devices with notches, it’s about time Google set some standards. As detailed in a new developers blog post released in conjunction with the final Android P beta, the company describes what type of support for display cutouts will be present as a part of Android P going forward.
For one, manufacturers won’t be able to include more than two notches on their devices. Additionally, notches will only be included on the tops, buttons, and corners of phones, not the left or right edge. Admittedly, we have yet to see a phone sport more than one notch or one at the bottom, but considering that time is likely inevitable, it’s good to see Google lay down the ground rules early.
If a notch is at the top of the display, Android P will automatically stretch the status bar so it fits the full height of the cutout so apps and the system’s UI doesn’t look weird. In addition, apps in landscape mode will have the notch blacked out in a letterbox, while developers will have the option to fill the portions of the screen surrounding the notch with their software if they wish. This would be especially useful in immersive apps like photo galleries and navigation tools.
Apps will also be able to take advantage of notches in Android 8.1 or earlier thanks to a special extended screen option that can be toggled on or off in the app’s code.
All of these updates are aimed to make app compatibility with Android P as seamless as possible. That’s why Google’s prompting developers to start testing their apps with virtual display cutouts in Android P. According to the blog post, the company’s been working with “device manufacturer partners” to ensure special hardware adapts nicely to the plethora of apps available on Google Play. Thanks to their efforts, running apps on new devices that come out later this year powered by Android P should prove to be a pretty decent experience.
