If the latest rumors are true, the iPhone 12 may look more attractive thanks to a smaller notch at the top of the display.

The claim was made by Apple analyst and leaker John Prosser, who told Forbes, "It is almost certain that the notch will be smaller. However, it is not known how much smaller the new notch will be than the current notch.

A smaller notch would be a welcome change, as Apple has used the same size notch on every iPhone with Face ID since the iPhone X in 2017. The notch can be particularly obtrusive when watching videos or using apps with white backgrounds.

Android phone makers have largely settled on smaller punch holes for the front-facing camera, but they are not as sophisticated as the iPhone's TrueDepth sensor.

Previous reports have suggested that the iPhone 12 notch will not change much. For example, leaked information showing the smallest 5.4-inch iPhone 12 display shows a notch that appears unchanged.

Apple almost certainly experimented with different sized notches while designing the iPhone 12, and both leakers may have seen different parts of Apple's design process.

Previous reports on the iPhone 12 design have said that Apple's new model will be thinner than its predecessor and will feature flat sides reminiscent of the iPhone 4 and iPad Pro. There should also be a new blue color, which may only be available on the iPhone 12 Pro model.

Prosser previously told Forbes that Apple has staggered the release date of the iPhone 12 series, with the two regular iPhone 12 models (with 5.4-inch and 6.1-inch display sizes) appearing at different times than the two iPhone 12 Pro models, which will be 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch said they would appear at different times.

These two iPhone 12 models have some differences: the Pro model will reportedly have an additional camera (telephoto sensor and LiDAR depth sensor) and will support both 5G mmWave and sub-6GHz.

However, the addition of a 120Hz display, which was supposed to provide smoother scrolling and overall better display performance, comparable to Samsung's Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, is questionable on the iPhone 12 Pro.

If you are interested in getting the iPhone 12 at launch, you may have to wait a little longer than usual. While most iPhones are released in September, it appears that the iPhone 12 may be released in October. The delay is brought about by various problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic.