Introducing Android 9 Pie

Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by Sir_Cmpwn on Monday August 06, 2018 @02:41PM (#17700323)

Surprised not to see mention of the cutout stuff yet. It seems pretty dumb to me that Google is jumping on board with this ridiculous feature. Maybe this'll be one of those Dropbox-style HN comments which in hindsight looks misled, but I honestly can't find any redeeming factors to the cutout idea.

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Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by izacus on Monday August 06, 2018 @02:52PM (#17700445)

Except developers being able to properly support their apps around it? OEMs have decided to add notches, want it or not. Not having a API to work with them would be a huge pain.

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Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by ehsankia on Monday August 06, 2018 @07:00PM (#17702510)

The purpose of AOSP Android has always been to lower fragmentation. If every OEM implements their own notch handling, then apps have no chance to properly support every single implementation. Google providing a standard way will greatly help the ecosystem. To give a really awful analogy, think of providing clean needles to drug addicts. It doesn't necessary mean you approve, but the benefits are bigger.

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Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by kcmp on Monday August 06, 2018 @03:41PM (#17701004)

People loved it when Apple did it which gave everyone else the okay to go ahead and do it themselves. It allows phone manafacturers to advertise higher screen to body ratios and is really just a step in the progression towards bezelless phones. There's definitely a loud group of people who strongly dislike it but I think most people are okay with it

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Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by userbinator on Monday August 06, 2018 @08:54PM (#17703068)

the progression towards bezelless phones

I hope not. The bezel has a very real purpose: a place to hold it without your fingers interfering with the screen, whether by activating a touch or just plain blocking the view. I have an older Android with ~5mm of bezel on all the sides and ~8mm of thickness, and trying to get a good grip while not activating or blocking the screen is hard enough. I remember being handed an iPhone 6, and trying not to drop it was the most difficult part. Holding something that thin is just not comfortable, as is trying to pick it up off a flat surface.

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Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by SkyPuncher on Tuesday August 07, 2018 @12:56AM (#17703968)

I use to agree, but I would except most devices to account for this. I'd except a virtual bezel or software controlled dead space around the edge of the phone.

You'd basically push buttons and the status bar into the bezel, then use the sides much like the Galaxy Edge does.

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Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by dannyw on Tuesday August 07, 2018 @02:23AM (#17704240)

I've never had, or heard of this been a problem with the iPhone X, and I know plenty of people who use it with a case or without a case.

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Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by 51Cards on Monday August 06, 2018 @03:56PM (#17701175)

Just have to comment that for myself a notch would be a deal beaker for a new device. I've played with a couple devices and really think it adds no actual value while complicating the user interface. I will avoid it as long as I can.

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Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by what_ever on Monday August 06, 2018 @04:13PM (#17701342)

How does it complicate the UI for you?

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Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by 51Cards on Monday August 06, 2018 @04:44PM (#17701638)

This link displays it best:

https://www.techradar.com/news/android-p-only-has-space-for-...

In short there is a 4 notification icon limit now with the clock on the left, whether you have a notch or not. I often have a lot more than 4 notification icons up (esp since a couple are permanent from background apps) and the rest will just disappear under a dot-dot icon.

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Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by Fnoord on Monday August 06, 2018 @07:48PM (#17702767)

Wait. Everything has notch support, even if the device doesn't have a notch? That's odd, right? Given the notch is still an exception? Although they could make the status icons (top) tilt 90 degrees so they are usable from within landscape yet remain on their position

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Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by 51Cards on Monday August 06, 2018 @10:17PM (#17703447)

Yep, seems the compromises they have made for notches are global across all devices which to me is a UI mistake.

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Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by scarface74 on Monday August 06, 2018 @07:22PM (#17702637)

People didn’t “love it” they tolerated it

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Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by Fnoord on Monday August 06, 2018 @07:45PM (#17702754)

Because it is a trade off between the largest, consistent screen size, having a front camera, and a notch (that's how we call it, this is the first time I see the term cutoff).

I dislike the notch, but it isn't very annoying. You still got your status stuff on the top left and right. However, if I'd be having my device in landscape it'd thoroughly annoy me no matter what. It destroys the device symmetry!! However landscape is a niche for me; I don't watch many videos.

I do think your comment hits the nail though. Apple gets away with all kind of innovations: TouchBar, butterfly keyboard, no 3.5 mm...

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Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by scarface74 on Tuesday August 07, 2018 @02:34PM (#17709283)

The notch is in a separate category. It was definitely a natural necessary technical compromise. For ergonomic reasons, a phone can only be so large, but you also want the screen as large as possible. There is an argument to be made for getting rid of the headphone jack to increase the room available in the phone.

The butterfly keyboard was an unnecessary attempt at thinness. The laptop did not need to be thinner for ergonomic reasons.

The touchbsr generates a lot of nerd rage but most people don’t really care about the function keys.

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Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by Fnoord on Tuesday August 07, 2018 @03:34PM (#17709823)

Some phones which had 3.5mm jack removed have been opened; they actually easily had room for the jack.

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Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by scns on Tuesday August 07, 2018 @05:36AM (#17705012)

Essential Phone had a notch before Apple. Didn't have Apple's Mindshare though.

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Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by on_and_off on Monday August 06, 2018 @09:23PM (#17703223)

The essential added first it and it was ok to do not have an API for it since it was a very small cutout.

But now that Apple has sadly made cutouts ok, OEMs are going to implement them whether we like them or not.

I really hope that they are a fad that dies in a quick although very painful fire BUT right now Google needs to add support for it.

Which they did.

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Re:Introducing Android 9 Pie by voltagex_ on Monday August 06, 2018 @07:41PM (#17702731)

I can't remember where I read it, but the theory is if you're a manufacturer who wants glass/displays in any quantity at the moment, you get a notch or you don't get a display at all. Blame the supply chain.

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