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Google moved the clock in Android P because of the notch
June 01, 2025
While taking questions from audience members at Google I/O 2018, an engineer appeared to confirm that the changed placement of the clock on the Android P developer preview was due to the currentonslaught of devices featuring a notch.
While in Android Oreo the clock is on the right side of the screen, in the Android P developer preview the clock is on the left. According toGadgets360,the engineer in question explained that: “By moving the clock over, we were able to create a consistent experience across Android devices irrespective of whether they have an unbroken top edge of the display panel.”
Though it’s only a minor change, the idea that the notch — which didn’t even exist one year ago — is already making Google rethink the way it designs its operating systems is interesting.
This notion also adds some weight to the rumors that Google could beconsidering a notch of its own on the Pixel 3. After all, Google will be optimizing the operating system for its own devices too.
Other notch based changes in the Android P Developer Preview include the option for developers to see how their apps would look on devices with not only a notch at the top of the screen but alsoa notch at the bottom of the screen.
Next up:6 alternatives to the smartphone notch
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