An app can solve all your problems with the Pixel 3 XL’s notch

There are a lot of good things to say about Google’s new Pixel 3 XL smartphone, but there’s also been a lot of blowback due to the size of the notch at the top of the phone. For those who don’t know what a notch is, it’s the top part of the display that houses the front-facing camera and other sensors. In a push to create edge-to-edge screens with minimal bezels, notches are one way of maximizing screen real estate, and it’s a method Apple has pursued with its iPhone X and XS range. How do you feel about the notch on @Google's #Pixel3XL? See how we feel–> https://t.co/jpyf5V2PlR — Digital Trends (@DigitalTrends) October 10, 2018 Notches are divisive. Some believe it’s a design flaw that disrupts the user experience, while others don’t mind it or don’t care. We’re not fans, but we’ve grown accustomed to seeing them on our phones and don’t mind them much. However, the notch on the Pixel 3 XL is one of the ugliest we’ve seen to date. It cuts deep into the display, making it distracting, and there’s a lot of unused space taken up by the status bar. Thankfully, there are a few ways to get around the notch on the Pixel 3 XL, while still enjoying a fluid Android experience from Google. We’ve rounded them up. While you might prefer the larger size of the Pixel 3 XL, if you’re not married to a big-phone experience, the Google Pixel 3 is just as good in almost every way. You get the same camera tech, same internal hardware, and same software experience. The only differences between the two are the lack of a notch on the Pixel 3, the slightly smaller screen (5.5 inches as opposed to the XL’s 6.3-inch screen), and a smaller battery (though with the smaller screen, battery life will likely end up being the same). Sure, there are thicker bezels on the top and bottom that don’t make it look as contemporary as other phones, but this is your best bet if you hate the notch but want a phone with the Google experience. The Pixel 3 is also $100 cheaper than the Pixel 3 XL, so you’ll save some cash along the way. Can’t do without the big screen? There is a way to hide the notch, but we don’t recommend this method. It’s built into the phone’s developer settings, but there’s a chance Google may make it an option in the standard Settings menu. Follow these instructions to hide the notch: For people who prefer a more traditional smartphone look, we’ve added an option to hide the display cutout (the notch). — Made by Google (@madebygoogle) October 9, 2018 Your Pixel 3 XL should now feature a black bar at the top, hiding the notch and replacing it with what looks like a somewhat large bezel. The big disadvantage here is that you lose more display real estate, since the status bar has moved lower. However, it does a convincing job of making it look like the phone has no notch. Nacho Notch, a third-party app on the Google Play Store, was specifically built to make notches a little more bearable for those who can’t stand them. It hides the notch, but it also makes sure the display real estate around the notch doesn’t go to waste. Unlike the built-in Android method, Nacho Notch leaves the status bar on the sides of the notch. That means your notification icons and system tray information stay around the notch at the top, but you still get black bars that mask the look. It’s an elegant solution. Nacho Notch allows you to quickly toggle the feature on and off because it’s a quick settings tile in the notification drawer. You can even set the app to round the corners on the display, making it look a lot more natural on a device like the Google Pixel 3 XL. There is one downside here — the feature doesn’t work on the lock screen, so you won’t be able to hide the notch there. Nacho Notch is a free app available in the Google Play Store. If you were impressed by the features Google showed off, but don’t necessarily feel like dropping $900 to buy the latest flagship phone, then perhaps it’s worth going for a Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL instead. The phones are still up on the Google Store with some small discounts, or you may be able to purchase them from other retailers for even lower prices. The Pixel 2 is set to get many of the stand-out features announced alongside the Pixel 3, such as “Call Screening,” which uses Google Assistant to verify calls from numbers you don’t know; Google Duplex, which will let you make restaurant reservations with Google Assistant; and Night Sight, which uses artificial intelligence to dramatically improve low-light photos. The Google Pixel 4 XL may no longer be the top Pixel flagship in the world, but it’s still an exceptional phone, and you may well still be hanging on to one. There’s no shame in that — the flagship phone was $899 at launch, and its flagship hardware and top-tier camera are still extremely strong and likely to last a long time. But you probably want to make sure it does last a long time, and to do that, you need to make sure it’s safe. The easiest way to keep a phone safe is to add a simple layer of protection to the outside, and that means a case. Not all cases are created equal though, and some rise above others. Here are some of the best Google Pixel 4 XL cases and covers.
Google Pixel 4 XL Case With the announcement of Android 12L, Google shared a list of Pixel phones expected to receive the beta when it began the testing period in December. While the Pixel 3 was understandably absent, Google also didn’t include the newer Pixel 3a — which was taken as an indication that it was likely not going to get the newer Android version when it rolls out. Fortunately, that’s not the case, as Google confirmed to Digital Trends over email that it was an oversight and documentation would be updated shortly. According to Google, the Android 12L beta will be going out to the following Pixel phones: Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6, Pixel 5a with 5G, Pixel 5, Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 4a, and Pixel 4.  It will not be coming to the Pixel 3, which received its last guaranteed update with Android 12. The Pixel 3’s exclusion is a little weird, though. Launched in May of 2019, Google promises updates for up to three years post-launch. As indicated by the company’s Pixel software support list, this means the Pixel 3a should expect major updates through May of 2022. Since their release in October 2018, the Google Pixel 3 and the Google Pixel 3 XL offered some significant upgrades over their predecessors, while still clearly belonging to the Pixel family. Read our full reviews of the Google Pixel 3 XL and Pixel 3 for all the details. On top of the usual processor upgrade, both Pixels sport a dual-lens, front-facing camera designed to elevate your selfie game to the next level, some additional software smarts to get the best from the single-lens main camera, and support for Qi wireless charging. Google’s design has also been refined compared to the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. Here’s everything you need to know about the Pixel 3 and 3 XL and their most recent update now that they’ve reached the end of their life cycle.
Updates
The Pixel 3 and 3 XL have reached their end of life
As Google promised, the Pixel 3 and 3 XL received three years of software and security updates, taking them from Android 9 through Android 12. Google confirmed to Digital Trends that the Pixel 3 and 3 XL received their last security update in October 2021. As witg the Pixel and Pixel 2, there will be one more “wrap up” update in the first quarter of 2022.
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