The hole in the display does solve the problem of where the earpiece go. On Huawei’s own P20 and Mate 20, the earpiece actually resides within the notch or just above the notch. The new patent instead posits the idea of having the earpiece at the traditional location of an earpiece on a phone.
While Huawei can use a piezo-electric speaker for an earpiece, the sound quality of said speaker has been proven to be sub-par. Especially when compared to a magnet-driven earpiece. Another reason for its existence is to accommodate dual front speakers, thus providing for a better audio experience. Patents are usually filed by companies to protect ideas and concepts before the final design. In the case of Huawei, this patent could be the brand’s attempt at throwing ideas around, see what sticks, and then make it a permanent addition to all future devices. Whatever the case, it’s a given that we’re going to have be patient (perhaps till next year) until Huawei shows an actual proof of concept from the fruits of its labour. (Source: USPTO, Mobielkopen via GSMArena)
