Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
64,416
32,244


Next year's iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus will adopt OLED displays with low-power backplane technology, bringing ProMotion to Apple's standard iPhone models for the first time.

iPhone-15-Pro-Multi-Purpose-button-Mute-Switch-Feature-Green.jpg

The current iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus use low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) panels, while Apple's iPhone 15 Pro models use more advanced low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) panels. LTPO panels support ProMotion, allowing the display to ramp up to a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and video content when required.

ProMotion also allows the display to ramp down to a more power-efficient refresh rate as low as 1Hz, which is why the iPhone 15 Pro screens feature an always-on capability that shows the Lock Screen's clock, widgets, notifications, and wallpaper even when the device is locked.

Apple is expected to retain the use of the less advanced LTPS panels in this year's iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus to maintain differentiation between its standard and Pro models, meaning Apple's 2025 iPhone series will be the first to feature ProMotion and always-on displays across the lineup.

According to The Elec, Chinese supplier BOE is hoping to supply Apple with LTPO panels for the iPhone 17 series, but questions still remain about whether it can reach the required production capacity while maintaining Apple's quality control standards.

If BOE cannot meet the requirements, Apple will likely turn to other suppliers like Samsung and LG Display for the LTPO panels, and rely on BOE for LTPS-based OLED panels for its legacy iPhone models and the rumored iPhone SE 4.

According to display analyst Ross Young, this year's iPhone 16 Pro models will feature a taller aspect ratio of 19.6:9, a change that will trickle down to the standard iPhone 17 models the following year. The devices are expected to increase from 6.12- and 6.69-inches to 6.27- and 6.86-inches, respectively. This represents a display size increase of 2.5% on both devices.
All in all, this means that the standard ‌iPhone‌ 17 models look set to receive a substantial panel upgrade, with larger sizes as well as LTPO for ProMotion and always-on displays.

Article Link: iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus to Feature ProMotion Always-On Displays
 
Last edited:

one more

macrumors 601
Aug 6, 2015
4,701
5,994
Earth
So another year on 12 mini…
Wait SE4 should come out in early 2025, so it will get AOD and higher refresh rate before main iPhone lineup? Wild.

That rumoured SE4, that could come in the spring 2025, is meant to be based on a standard iPhone 14 with a USB-C and one rear camera vs two. I don’t recall any “AOD or higher refresh rate” rumours related to SE4.
 

zakarhino

Contributor
Sep 13, 2014
2,552
6,879
This basically confirms that next year the Pro is going to get something new that will take the regular another 3 years to adapt. Wonder what it will be

I thought next year's iPhone is supposed to be the one with under display Face ID (not the camera under the display version, that comes later) which shrinks the Dynamic Island down into a circle cutout like Galaxy. That's the most likely outcome.

If it's some big hardware feature, I'm thinking at least the Pro Max might finally get another camera module, but it won't be what everyone expects...

A couple years ago there was a rumor about a prototype iPhone with a camera module designed around and exclusively used for capturing video. It makes perfect sense for Apple to do this given their massive push for the iPhone to completely replace a professional video camera. If they finally introduce a fourth camera and the 'twist' is it's for video, they would be the first of the flagships to do it and it would generate a ton of hype.

The obvious case against this rumor is that software innovation may eclipse the need for dedicated video hardware but who knows. It's very unlikely to happen but a fourth camera of some sort will arrive someday. That or they will rethink the camera hardware entirely and find a way to build a true zoom lens like Sony just did with Xperia.
 

spamabyss

macrumors member
Dec 4, 2021
42
127
That would be quite a disappointment if Apple waited another 1,5 years to get higher refresh rate to their standard line of iphones. It's a 1000€ phone here in Germany and even the cheapest of android phones have at least 90hz displays these days.

And to everyone saying it doesn't matter. I also don't miss it on my iphone 15 in daily usage. Until I check something on my moms Galaxy S23. Then it's very very noticeable how much smoother an experience that is. One that has a much bigger difference on my every day experience than any 20% faster CPU could ever have.
 

tobybrut

macrumors 65816
Sep 10, 2010
1,190
1,638
17 & 17 Plus - 120Hz refresh rate
17 Pro & 17 Pro Max - 240Hz refresh rate(?)

Good for those that do not want the Pro models but want high refresh rate displays...
Not good for those who have issues with PWM...
If it’s anything like the pro models, you can turn off ProMotion and stay with 60Hz. I don’t suffer from PWM problems, so I’m asking this question out of ignorance. Doesn’t faster refresh rates help with that? I thought it was a perceived flicker that caused those problems and that a faster refresh rate reduces or eliminates that?
 

winxmac

macrumors 65816
Sep 1, 2021
1,307
1,525
If it’s anything like the pro models, you can turn off ProMotion and stay with 60Hz. I don’t suffer from PWM problems, so I’m asking this question out of ignorance. Doesn’t faster refresh rates help with that? I thought it was a perceived flicker that caused those problems and that a faster refresh rate reduces or eliminates that?
I also don't get affected with PWM on iPhone displays but I guess since there will be no LCD iPhone in the future, those who are affected by PWM will have no choice but to put up with OLED iPhone and higher than 60Hz refresh rate... I don't know whether higher refresh rate will make it better or worse for them [those affected by PWM]
 

MayaUser

macrumors 68030
Nov 22, 2021
2,913
6,320
17 & 17 Plus - 120Hz refresh rate
17 Pro & 17 Pro Max - 240Hz refresh rate(?)

Good for those that do not want the Pro models but want high refresh rate displays...
Not good for those who have issues with PWM...
240hz for an 6-7" display...pointless...more stress on the gpu without any good reason
It must be something else...i hope Apple is not Samsung to just throw pointless numbers
 

tobybrut

macrumors 65816
Sep 10, 2010
1,190
1,638
I also don't get affected with PWM on iPhone displays but I guess since there will be no LCD iPhone in the future, those who are affected by PWM will have no choice but to put up with OLED iPhone and higher than 60Hz refresh rate... I don't know whether higher refresh rate will make it better or worse for them [those affected by PWM]
My observation here is that the iPhones, not including the SE, have had OLED screens for years. Since this story is about iPhone 17/17 Plus, that means the non-pros are going from a 60Hz OLED to a ProMotion OLED. How is that worse for those affected by PWM? There are very few phones left, either Android or iOS, that have LCD.
 

Ralfi

macrumors 601
Dec 22, 2016
4,348
3,051
Australia
It was about time... <3
For a Pro-Motion rumour?
😏
What does the 17 Pro Max get when LTPO opens up to the non pro models?
I'd say better camera (Pixels & Zoom), more RAM, a second action button etc....& they'll come up with less important things to add which many Pro owners won't use, but will love to have anyway, for whatever reason.
😏
 
Last edited:

pcd213

macrumors 6502a
Jun 24, 2019
573
645
What does the 17 Pro Max get when LTPO opens up to the non pro models? This is my next phone so I’m eager to learn. I believe the 17 Pro and Pro Max will see a smaller Dynamic Island, perhaps a small circle with the Face ID under the display. I can’t recall hearing any other rumors of what the 17 Pro max will adopt.
 

tobybrut

macrumors 65816
Sep 10, 2010
1,190
1,638
What does the 17 Pro Max get when LTPO opens up to the non pro models? This is my next phone so I’m eager to learn. I believe the 17 Pro and Pro Max will see a smaller Dynamic Island, perhaps a small circle with the Face ID under the display. I can’t recall hearing any other rumors of what the 17 Pro max will adopt.
If I remember Ross Young’s timeline correctly, about the time the non-pros get ProMotion is the time where most of the sensors get put beneath the screen instead of requiring a double cutout, leaving only the main front camera. I don’t think the Dynamic Island would shrink, but it might disappear on occasion when there’s nothing to show.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.