What you'll learn: Screen notches explained waterdrop vs punch-hole vs Dynamic Island — how notch affects glass compatibility — practical guide for Indian buyers and mobile shop counters — based on physical verification with calipers, manufacturer spec comparison, technician reports — not lab testing — reference records need physical verification.
Written by Muhammad Adhil PK — Founder & Editor — FitMyCase India — Kozhikode, Kerala, India — Former mobile mechanic student — Repair bench experience — Dead-stock problem solver — Based on our database as of Oct 2026 — 280+ case groups, 1700+ glass records, 1764+ models, 19 brands, 31 guides.
Tempered glass must have correct cutout for front camera and sensors — wrong cutout blocks camera or leaves gap that collects dust. Notch style decides cutout shape: waterdrop needs small U-cut, punch-hole needs tiny hole, Dynamic Island needs pill shape. Using wrong notch glass causes halo in selfies or covers earpiece.
Small U-shaped cut at top centre for front camera. Common in budget phones: Realme 5, Vivo Y20, Oppo A53 family — 6.51-inch waterdrop. Glass for waterdrop has small U-cut at top — if you use punch-hole glass on waterdrop phone, U area remains uncovered — dust enters, looks ugly. Waterdrop family shares glass across many models — universal display groups based on waterdrop.
Tiny hole for camera — centre or left corner. Most common now: Redmi Note 11, Samsung A24, iPhone 13 (though iPhone has notch). Punch-hole position matters: centre punch-hole vs left corner punch-hole — glass hole must align. Centre punch-hole glass on left punch-hole phone blocks camera. Always check punch-hole position: centre, left, or right. Our display search notes punch-hole position.
Wide rectangular notch for Face ID — iPhone X, 11, 12, 13. Glass for wide notch has large cutout at top — covers earspeaker area. Using punch-hole glass on wide notch phone leaves notch area uncovered — not ideal but works in emergency with gap.
Pill-shaped cutout that houses camera and sensors and shows animations. iPhone 14 Pro, 15 Pro, 16 have pill. Glass for Dynamic Island has pill cutout — larger than punch-hole. Using punch-hole glass on Dynamic Island phone covers part of island — blocks sensors. Need pill-cut glass.
Camera hidden under display — no visible notch — e.g., Samsung Fold. Glass is full-screen without cutout — any full-screen glass works.
By 2026, most Android moved to centre punch-hole, iPhone to Dynamic Island. Waterdrop remains in ultra-budget. Stock accordingly: 70% punch-hole centre, 20% waterdrop, 10% Dynamic Island for iPhone Pro. This reduces dead stock.
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Physical verification measuring cases with calipers — camera cutout, button height, port opening — Manufacturer specification comparison — display size, notch style, aspect ratio — Reports from shop technicians who use FitMyCase daily — Re-check on correction reports — Confidence labels guidance based on record availability and reviewed community reports, not claim of laboratory testing or manufacturer endorsement — See Methodology and Editorial Policy and Corrections
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