iPhone 13 Pro Models to Use Samsung LTPO Technology for 120Hz Display

Samsung will be the exclusive supplier of LTPO OLED displays for the "Pro" models in Apple's iPhone 13 lineup later this year, according to TheElec.

Apple's rumored adoption of LTPO display technology would allow it to implement a 120Hz refresh rate on the higher end next-generation iPhones, as today's report notes:

iphone 12 120hz thumbnail feature

Samsung Display will be the exclusive supplier used by Apple for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels used in the two highest tier models of its next iPhone, TheElec has learned.

Both models of iPhone 13 will use low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) thin-film transistors (TFT) OLED panels made by Samsung Display.

Apple's iPhone 13 will have four models and all of them will use OLED panels. The top two models will use LTPO OLED that can support 120Hz refresh rate.

A previous report pegged both LG and Samsung to supply the technology to Apple for the iPhone 13. According to the latest report, however, LG will focus on increasing its capacity this year in order to start supplying next year, with Apple planning to use LTPO OLED displays for "all its iPhone models" in 2022.

Other reports have suggested the technology will be coming to at least two ‌iPhone‌ models in 2021, while display analyst Ross Young expects the "most important development" on the ‌iPhone 13‌ Pro models to be the adoption of 120Hz-capable ProMotion displays with variable refresh rates, something that has only appeared on the iPad Pro so far.

Multiple rumors ahead of the launch of the ‌iPhone 12‌ lineup suggested the high-end iPhone 12 Pro models could feature 120Hz ProMotion displays, but later in the rumor cycle, it became clear that this feature was delayed until 2021 due to battery life concerns.

Using LTPO technology would allow Apple to deliver a much more power-efficient backplane, which is responsible for turning individual pixels on and off on the display. Depending on how Apple decides to take things, the technology could pave the way for longer battery life or always-on display elements.

Apple Watch Series 5 and Series 6 models already use LTPO displays, which enables them to have the same up-to-18-hour battery life as earlier Apple Watch models despite having an always-on display.

Related Roundup: iPhone 13
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

contacos Avatar
42 months ago

I don't know what all the fuss is about with this feature. I have 120Hz on my iPad Pro and I get that as the display is so big...but does it really make that much of a difference on a small device?

On top of that, it sounds like a battery drainer and that's the last thing I want on a mobile device. The iPad is fine as the battery is so huge!
I sold my 10.5 iPad Pro and replaced it with an iPad Air 4. I have yet to notice the missing ProMotion
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The Game 161 Avatar
42 months ago

I don't know what all the fuss is about with this feature. I have 120Hz on my iPad Pro and I get that as the display is so big...but does it really make that much of a difference on a small device?

On top of that, it sounds like a battery drainer and that's the last thing I want on a mobile device. The iPad is fine as the battery is so huge!
yes it is and for me is noticeable no matter what size the display is.

with LTPO it is not a battery drain either. the pro models battery life should be no worse.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
beanbaguk Avatar
42 months ago
I don't know what all the fuss is about with this feature. I have 120Hz on my iPad Pro and I get that as the display is so big...but does it really make that much of a difference on a small device?

On top of that, it sounds like a battery drainer and that's the last thing I want on a mobile device. The iPad is fine as the battery is so huge!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
beanbaguk Avatar
42 months ago

will be really interesting to see with 120hz at LTPO if we will see always on display....
OK, always on display is interesting.....

Having said that, I have found with identical settings my Apple Watch 6 drains its battery faster than the wife's SE. The only difference is the always on display on mine.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Abstract Avatar
42 months ago
I’m in the “I don’t really notice the benefit of ProMotion” camp. I have it on my iPad Pro. I notice it if I’m intentionally scrolling fast and actively looking for smoothness of the image moving past.

The difference is so small that I just don’t care. ??‍♂️
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The Game 161 Avatar
42 months ago
will be really interesting to see with 120hz at LTPO if we will see always on display....
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
iPhone Home Screen Gradient Blank Spaces 1

Sources: iOS 18 Lets Apps Be Placed Anywhere on Home Screen Grid

Sunday March 24, 2024 1:33 pm PDT by
iOS 18 will give iPhone users greater control over Home Screen app icon arrangement, according to sources familiar with the matter. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, to ensure there is some uniformity, our sources say that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18. For example, we expect that the update will introduce...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
iPad Pro 2024 Landscape Camera Feature

New iPad Pro Again Rumored to Feature Landscape Front-Facing Camera

Monday March 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
The next-generation iPad Pro will feature a landscape-oriented front-facing camera for the first time, according to the Apple leaker known as "Instant Digital." Instant Digital reiterated the design change earlier today on Weibo with a simple accompanying 2D image. The post reveals that the entire TrueDepth camera array will move to the right side of the device, while the microphone will...
sonoma desktop wwdc

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 With Fix for USB Hub Bug

Monday March 25, 2024 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, a minor update for the macOS Sonoma operating system that launched last September. macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 comes three weeks after macOS Sonoma 14.4. The ‌‌‌‌macOS Sonoma‌‌ 14.4‌.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings. There's also a macOS 13.6.6 release for those who...