Here is the problem.

But the problem with these notched screens on Android phones is that they’re purely cosmetic.....the cutouts at the top are self-evidently motivated by the desire to just look — not function, look — like an iPhone X.

The Verge's argument is that because they have a chin at the bottom, the notch is purely cosmetic since they didn't utilize the space at the bottom. I find this argument to be poor reasoning. Moving to a notch at the top seems like an inevitable future for most smartphones - we need an earpiece as well as front facing cameras and other sensors, either we at a top chin, or we notch. Those are the options. The notch just means we have additional usable screen space and creates a more full screen experience. By moving to a notch now it means that more android phones can start practicing for that future design, rather than pushing it off to avoid looking like they're copying apple (despite android doing it first with the essential phone). Eventually that chin at the bottom will be screen as well, but that won't be a change to usability like having the notch is. I think Asus is smart moving forward with this despite the strange publicity that they probably expected it would get (such as this article). This seems like less a design issue or an aspect of one company copying another, and more like just The Verge trying to write something that will generate clicks.

> The Verge trying to write something that will generate clicks

Is it ever not the case? The economic incentives drive institutions like The Verge to promulgate clickbait and sensationalized titles

Presumably you should also be interested in writing content that generates credibility and a long term following.

Yes, if anything, the notch seems like an obvious, but aesthetically questionable and therefore risky, move. Apple doing it, and people apparently liking it (...really?...) derisked it.

I agree. But time and time again, Apple does something risky, it catches on (or at least doesn't matter as much as people think), and their decision proliferates throughout the industry while commentators tweet sarcastic, oh-so-clever barbs about "courage".

(I am aware that Apple is not the only company that innovates or takes risks. But there does seem to be something unique about Apple that has caused them to draw such ire since seemingly forever.)

I do think Apple puts more thought and creative attention into their hardware design than anyone else, or at least that’s their image, and based on that, it’s easy to see how they have (in addition) become fashion trend-setters in the industry.

So even if a design or detail is bad (according to me, or you, or most people, like a bad movie), a lot of thought went into it, and probably a lot of people will copy it! :)

I'm not sure what in that quote isn't covered in the parent argument. Unless you are suggesting that Apple have never been guilty of following others popular design trends.

The real problem is that the notch is an abomination, regardless of who puts it into a phone.

That someone would actually clone this, making the design somewhat more legitimate... Crikey!

the notch (using the new asus phone that looks exactly like an iphone x as an example) is purely cosmetic? you mean they only have a camera inside it, so it should be a much smaller notch like the essential phone? I know a lot of the android phones don't have the iphone IR facemapping camera/tech on their front side, but they're not using the notch for some combination of front facing camera, light level sensor and earpiece speaker?