Apple iPhone 13 Pro Family Tipped To Use Samsung 120Hz LPTO Displays
A new report, however, suggest that the next-generation iPhone 13 Pro family will include a feature that was previously rumored for the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max: a 120Hz display panel. 120Hz panels are commonplace in today's Android flagships, while we've also seen 90Hz options in mid-range Android smartphones. Apple, for its part, has stuck with 60Hz panels for all its devices except for the iPad Pro.
A new report from The Elec suggests that the iPhone 13 Pro lineup will use low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) panels produced by Samsung Display. LTPO panels are already in use in Apple devices like the Apple Watch Series 5 and Series 6, and it's rumored that such panels may also filter to other Apple devices in the future.
This move would finally bring the iPad Pro's "ProMotion" branding to iPhones. And like the iPad Pro, the iPhone 13 Pro devices will include variable refresh rate technology, which would only hit the battery-sapping 120Hz refresh rates when absolutely necessary (i.e. when gaming). Most of the time, however, the display would be able to settle on a standard 60Hz refresh rate or lower to conserve battery life.
Leading up to the launch of the iPhone 12 lineup, it was widely expected that the two smartphones would feature 120Hz display panels. There were leaked screenshots and video of prototypes using test builds of iOS 14 with the 120Hz option enabled. However, it's rumored that Apple backed out of adding the feature late in development due to concerns over battery drain.
With the adoption of LTPO and [likely] more power efficient A15 Bionic and 5G chipsets in the iPhone 13 family, the battery life concerns that were raised during the development of the iPhone 12 lineup will be nullified. The lack of a 120Hz panel hasn't been a deal breaker for the current iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max, as most people have been focused on 5G. However, Apple has put off 120Hz panels for long enough on its iPhone range, so we'd be incredibly shocked if Apple didn't take the plunge this year.
