• Blog
  • AlphaParty
  • Products
  • Privacy Policy
  • About/Contact
Menu

Electrollama Productions

Street Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Number
Since 2009

Your Custom Text Here

Electrollama Productions

  • Blog
  • AlphaParty
  • Products
  • Privacy Policy
  • About/Contact

XCode 9 hints at non-rectangular future iPhone

June 9, 2017 Devin Uhrich
The original  simulator

The original  simulator

The iOS simulator in Xcode 9 has made a curious change.

The original iOS simulator had a skeuomorphic design that looked like a photo realistic iPhone on your desktop.  

Bezel display toggle in Xcode 9

Bezel display toggle in Xcode 9

Before the iPhone 5 and its tall screen were introduced, the simulator lost its chrome and shipped with a resizable window, telegraphing the introduction of new screen ratios.   

I think history is repeating itself. The simulator in Xcode 9 returns to a more skeuomorphic (although not quite photo realistic) design, and an option to turn it off labelled “show device bezels”.

Xcode 9 showing bezels

Xcode 9 showing bezels

I suppose it could just be a change for changes’ sake, but I think they’re preparing for a new phone that doesn’t have a strictly rectangular screen, and knowing how the bezels appear will be important when developing your app.

Whether it’s just rounded at the bottom and/or top or has a notch at the top, or cut out for a speaker is anyone's guess at this point though.

Tags xcode, apple, iPhone

Copyright 2016 - Devin uhrich