OnePlus CEO explains notch rationale on OnePlus 6

In a clear attempt at mitigating the negative fallout from adopting an iPhone X-like notch on the OnePlus 6, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has taken to the Chinese company’s blog to explain the rationale behind the decision and its benefits. As Lau acknowledges, the notch on the OnePlus 6 has sparked a “fiery debate,” but that he hopes that his explanation will quell any dissent. At its core, Lau argues that the decision was driven by wanting to “make the most of out of every square inch” of the device.

Lau says that the central location where the notch is placed on the OnePlus 6 is the best place to locate the front facing camera. This is because if it is offset, as on the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S, this “affects the angle of the camera, making it harder to orient the camera and take photos quickly.” He also argues that ‘pop-out’ cameras like the one demonstrated on the Vivo APEX (which will go into production this year), “is not at the stage where it can deliver on durability, speed and performance.”

Lau then cites unpublished internal research undertaken by OnePlus showing “that the space occupied by the notch typically goes unused in standard use,” and that “the notch makes optimal use of the vacated space.” Further, driving the decision to include what Lau says is the “biggest and best screen we’ve ever had,” include supply chain decisions so the company is in a position to source “a display that is readily procurable [which] translates into fewer delays.”

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