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2020 iPhones Could Feature Fast 120Hz 'ProMotion' Displays

Monday July 22, 2019 3:54 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's iPhones next year may feature displays capable of up to 120Hz refresh rates, allowing for a smoother on-screen experience, according to one mobile leaker.

"Apple is considering a switchable 60Hz/120Hz refresh rate screen on the iPhone in 2020, and is discussing with Samsung and LG," tweeted Ice Universe on Sunday.

The leaker, who goes by the Twitter handle @UniverseIce, doesn't usually comment on Apple's plans, but is a well-regarded source of Samsung rumors. Samsung has supplied Apple with OLED panels for the iPhone X, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max.

Apple already uses variable refresh rate technology in its iPad Pro models, but they still use LCD panels rather than OLED. Bringing it to a new breed of OLED iPhones would raise the smartphone performance bar even higher.

Apple markets the iPad Pro-exclusive tech under the moniker "ProMotion," which it says dynamically adjusts the display to the movement of content for fluid scrolling, greater responsiveness, and smoother motion. It does all this on the fly, which means it also conserves battery life.

Apple's adaptive ProMotion IAPs also reduce Apple Pencil latency, and reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said that Apple Pencil support is a possibility for a future iPhone.

Previous rumors have suggested Apple will complete its transition to an all-OLED iPhone lineup in 2020 with new 5.4-inch, 6.1-inch, and 6.7-inch devices.

But before 2020 comes around, Apple is widely expected to launch a trio of new iPhones this September, including two higher-end 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch OLED models and one lower-end 6.1-inch LCD model.

[ 162 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

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dz5b609
8 weeks ago
Was really hoping this would be a 2019 feature. This year's iPhones are looking more and more lackluster.
Rating: 38 Votes
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Motawa
8 weeks ago
For only 2k
Rating: 21 Votes
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squizzler
8 weeks ago
Redesign + 120hz + 5G sounds too ambitious for apple in such short period of time.
Rating: 17 Votes
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The Game 161
8 weeks ago
Basically 2020 is suppose to be the big upgrade then
Rating: 12 Votes
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x-evil-x
8 weeks ago
Number of people buying this years iPhone...12
Rating: 7 Votes
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JBGoode
8 weeks ago

Wow! Films will look like soap operas. :rolleyes: Hopefully that feature can be disabled for film playback?


This has been a feature on iPad pros since 2017. It's self-adjusting based on what you're using it for at the time. Films will look fine.
Rating: 7 Votes
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Achillias
8 weeks ago
Great feature to have. If you ever have used an 90hz or more screen, you would know it does. Scrolling looks much smoother and faster.
Rating: 7 Votes
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dz5b609
8 weeks ago

The Razer phone already has a 120hz display.


But not on OLED which is literally said in the article.
Rating: 7 Votes
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T'hain Esh Kelch
8 weeks ago
ASUS just announced their ROG II phone with 120 Hz OLED ('https://www.anandtech.com/show/14662/asus-announces-rog-phone-ii'), so this rumor is quite likely to happen I think.
Rating: 6 Votes
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il_teo77
8 weeks ago
Interesing. But I guess the next series of innovations will happen more and more on the software side of things. Artificial Intelligence, AR (which, in my opinion, has been nothing more than a gimmick on phones up to now), Voice assistants, software assisted camera tech and so on and so forth. Smartphones have reached, faster than computers, a point to which they are "really good" for a couple of years. No one will spend for a new Bionic chip or improved camera or 120 HZ screen if the software doesn't provide SIGNIFICANTLY better experience. I own an iPhone X, other than some more effects on portrait mode, there's really nothing that screamed "buy me" in the iPhone XS. Yes, opening apps is a millisecond faster, yes, unlocking is a millisecond faster (although iOS 13 up to now already provides a better unlock responsiveness than previously on my iPhone X). So... Apple better get to work on SIRI, MEANINGFUL AUGMENTED REALITY, WATERPROOFING, SCRATCH PROOFING, UI (home screen is still useless and some aspects of iOS 13 are still a mess (left swipe and you see what i mean), ADAPTIVE UI (not only dark mode, but a UI that adapts based on time of day, location, context). When at work i want mails and calendar to be all over the place, on weekends i want camera, camera roll, maps to be at the center of the stage... I want a phone that "changes" according to the time of day and location instead of me having to jiggle apps around, notifications that become more or less prominent according to where I am. "It has been a while since you last stepped on a balance" "why don't you go for a walk?", WHO CARES WHEN I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF A MEETING?
Rating: 6 Votes

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