Recent sightings of a notchless iPhone in highly popular Apple TV+ comedy "Ted Lasso" have led to sensational headlines suggesting this is a canny bit of product placement on Apple's part and that the iPhone 13 will be notchless. In actuality – and this could go without saying – the phone in question is very likely just showing a poorly superimposed display added in post-production.
Notchless iPhone in scene from "Ted Lasso"
The mythical notchless iPhone appears in two separate scenes in the second season of "Ted Lasso," specifically in episode six, "The Signal." In both scenes, an iPhone can be seen with an on-screen user interface identifiable as iOS, but without a notch at the top of the display.
The idea that Apple would reveal an unannounced flagship product in a pre-recorded show is certainly a tantalizing prospect, but it's a tenuous theory at best. TV shows routinely apply artificial overlays onto digital displays in post-production in order to make their contents clearer for viewers to see – in this case, an iOS Lock Screen.
Notchless iPhone in scene from "Ted Lasso"
That's not to say Apple isn't penchant to product placement in its shows, but the notch has been a mainstay of the iPhone throughout four generations of the device, and the iPhone 13 will be no different, with the notch continuing to remain on the front of Apple's upcoming smartphones. However, the iPhone 13 is expected to feature a smaller notch, and several reputable sources have indicated that the notch size will shrink in 2021, including Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Looking further ahead into the future, 2022's "iPhone 14" is expected to finally ditch the notch, replacing it with an Android-style hole-punch camera. Where Apple goes from there is unclear, but a rumor in 2019 claimed Apple has prototyped at least one iPhone with no notch, with the TrueDepth camera sensors for Face ID instead housed in the thin bezel above the display.
Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon.
In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.
In his Powe...
Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models.
"All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
"Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today.
"I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 8:55 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching.
In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...
That's a lot of work for someone to go through in post to remove that notch!
No, it’s more work to include the notch. Because they’re already superimposing the contents of the display. However adding the notch makes it more difficult because imperfections in the tracking/keyframing would be more obvious with a jittering notch on an iPhone display.
Why does Apple decide to maintain the Face ID on the era of face-masks while it also creates an undesired notch taking valuable screen space? Simple: FACE ID IS A GREAT EMOTIONAL SURVEILLANCE FEATURE AI face gesture tracking meta-data has a GREAT commercial value as businesses can buy peoples facial responses to products & services, same way most smartphones hear your voice 24/7 to offer targeted advertising (nothing new). Because it is a profitable business for Apple, it is here to stay way long and re-adapt into under-screen sensors..
The fact I had to ponder if this was satire or real, says a lot about the comments lately here and on social media.
A faked iPhone, because Apple is ashamed for the notch. Watching Ted Lasso in a few years from now would always remind them about the ugly notch they had.
