Xiaomi patents smartphone design with reverse protruding notch

Xiaomi's latest patent for a smartphone suggests the company is working on reverse notches. The notches that we see now house a camera sensor and an earpiece. These notches are meant to occupy less space and provide more aspect ratio.

However, Xiaomi's latest patent hints at a notch that will protrude from the top edge of the phone, which results in a bezel-less display. These notches will have two front-facing cameras and an earpiece.

Meanwhile, the back side of the notch is empty, and even though it is not clear from the patent images, the display may extend towards the notch. The patent also shows that the device includes two rear cameras located in the upper left corner of the back panel. Also, the device houses the USB Type-C port and the speaker grille.

As of now, the sliding mechanisms that hide the camera inside the device are becoming the latest trend. Vivo Nex is a good example of how a sliding mechanism can be used in smartphones. Oppo Find X also uses a similar mechanism, but it looks more futuristic.

Xiaomi's latest design offers the advantage of reduced mechanical parts, which could fail in the long run. Well, this goes without saying that this is just a patent and there's no confirmation that the device will make it to the production stage. We will have to wait for the company to make an official announcement.

Besides, Nubia has also patented 16 new designs for a foldable display with notches on the top. The company filed for two different patents on WIPO. What's more intriguing is that eight of them have two notches, one on the top, while others at the bottom.