iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Plus to Sport OLED Screens With 120Hz Refresh Rate, Always-on Support

iPhone 17 series could be the first to sport ProMotion displays on the company's standard and 'Pro' models.

Written by David Delima | Updated: 28 February 2024 14:35 IST

iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Plus to Sport OLED Screens With 120Hz Refresh Rate, Always-on Support

Apple introduced an always-on display mode with the LTPO OLED screen on the iPhone 14 Pro models

Highlights

Apple currently limits ProMotion displays to its 'Pro' iPhone models
The iPhone 17 series could be equipped with 120Hz LTPO OLED screens
LTPO OLED screens offer support for the always-on display mode on iOS

Apple's iPhone 17 series will reportedly be equipped with upgraded OLED screens that support a higher refresh rate, according to a report. In recent years, Apple's 'Pro' models have featured OLED screens with low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) technology that allow the refresh rate to drop to 1Hz, allowing the company's premium handsets to display a nearly static always-on display mode. With the rumoured inclusion of the upgraded screens, the company's standard models in the iPhone 17 series of smartphones could also arrive with support for this feature.

A report in The Elec (in Korean) citing supply chain reports states that Apple is planning to equip the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus — these phones are expected to debut in the second half of 2025 as the successors to the upcoming iPhone 16 series — with LTPO OLED screens. The technology was introduced by the company on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max and is also available on the current-generation iPhone 15 Pro models.

If these predictions are accurate, the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus will be the first standard iPhone models to sport an OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. Currently, the company's non-Pro models have a refresh rate of 60Hz, while the 120Hz ProMotion displays are reserved for the more expensive phones.

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Meanwhile, the inclusion of LTPO AMOLED screens should allow the entire iPhone 17 lineup to offer support for the always-on display mode that arrived with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Unlike most Android smartphones that use a pure black always-on display with text for the clock and notifications, iOS dims the lock screen and lowers the display's refresh rate to 1Hz on its Pro models, allowing the wallpaper to be displayed.

The report states that Apple supplier BOE is expected to produce these displays in time for next year's smartphones. However, it's worth taking these claims with a grain of salt, as there are several months to go until Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 16 series later this year, while the iPhone 17 models are expected to arrive in the second half of 2025.

According to recent reports, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max might be equipped with larger screens compared to their predecessors. The purported iPhone 16 Pro‌‌ and iPhone 16 Pro Max might sport 6.27-inch (159.31mm) and 6.85-inch (174.06mm) displays, respectively. These claims are in line with previously leaked CAD designs for both smartphones and previous reports that also suggest the iPhone 16 Pro models displays will get larger. More details about the upcoming phones are expected to surface in the coming months.

Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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iPhone 14 Pro

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Superb display with always-on mode
Excellent overall performance
Good battery life
All cameras take high-quality stills and video
Regular iOS updates for many years

Bad
Extremely expensive
Relatively slow charging and transfer speed
Gets warm under heavy workloads
Limited customisation for Dynamic Island

Read detailed Apple iPhone 14 Pro review

Display 6.10-inch

Processor Apple A16 Bionic

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 6GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS iOS 16

Resolution 1179x2556 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 14 Pro Max

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 6.70-inch

Processor Apple A16 Bionic

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS iOS 16

Resolution 2796x1290 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

Apple iPhone 15 Pro

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 6.10-inch

Processor Apple A17 Pro

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS iOS 17

Resolution 1179x2556 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Excellent display
USB Type-C
AAA gaming
Excellent all-round performance
Good primary and telephoto camera
Customisable Action Button

Bad
Gets hot quickly when stressed
Slow wired charging
Expensive

Read detailed Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max review

Display 6.70-inch

Processor Apple A17 Pro

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS iOS 17

Resolution 1290x2796 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

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Further reading: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Plus, ProMotion, iPhone 17 specifications, iPhone 17 Plus specifications, Apple

David Delima

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As a writer on technology with Gadgets 360, David Delima is interested in open-source technology, cybersecurity, consumer privacy, and loves to read and write about how the Internet works. David can be contacted via email at DavidD@ndtv.com, on Twitter at @DxDavey, and Mastodon at mstdn.social/@delima. More