LTPO Displays Supporting 120Hz Refresh Rates Again Rumored for iPhone 13 Pro Models

The two higher-end "iPhone 13 Pro" models that are coming in 2021 are expected to use LTPO display technology to enable 120Hz refresh rates, according to display analyst Ross Young.

iphone 12 120hz thumbnail feature
Young reaffirmed the detail in a tweet that said he'd heard rumors about only one model featuring LTPO, which he says is inaccurate.


LTPO OLED displays feature a more power efficient backplane able to turn the individual pixels on and off on the display, better preserving battery life. Young has previously said that LTPO technology is linked to 120Hz refresh rates and will need to be implemented before ProMotion can be brought to the ‌iPhone‌, otherwise the 120Hz refresh rate would drain too much battery life.

At this point, multiple rumors have confirmed both LTPO technology and 120Hz refresh rates for the two Pro-level ‌iPhone‌ 13 models. 120Hz ProMotion displays were rumored for the ‌iPhone‌ 12 models as well, but Apple did not implement them and instead saved the feature for the ‌iPhone‌ 13 lineup.

Samsung will supply most of the LTPO OLED displays to Apple, with Apple also potentially sourcing displays from BOE and LG Display.

Apple has long offered 120Hz refresh rates in the iPad Pro lineup. As on the iPad, the higher refresh rate on the ‌iPhone‌ will make motion content on the screen smoother, crisper, and more responsive for tasks like reading, gaming, and more.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
ipad black friday 2025

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:20 am PST by
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
ipad mini 7 feature red and blue

iPad Mini 8: Four Major New Features to Expect

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:50 am PST by
Apple's eighth-generation iPad mini is highly likely to arrive next year, offering a significant refresh of the device with at least four major new features. OLED Display The next-generation version of the iPad mini could feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple Watch in 2015, ...
watchos 26 workout app

Apple Watch Users Claim Workout App Is Now Worse in Every Way

Thursday November 20, 2025 7:01 am PST by
Apple Watch owners have been voicing their frustration online over changes to the Workout app that Apple introduced in watchOS 26, with many finding the redesigned interface makes starting exercises difficult and exasperating. When Apple launched watchOS 26 in September, the Workout app went from large, easily tapped workout tiles to a scrolling, corner-button interface. Instead of tapping a ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Two More U.S. States Commit to Offering iPhone Driver's Licenses in Apple Wallet App

Thursday November 20, 2025 8:21 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Earlier this week, Illinois became the 13th state in the U.S. to offer the feature. Subsequently, we shared a list of additional states that are committed...
android iphone airdrop quickshare

iPhone Users Can Now AirDrop Files to Android Devices

Thursday November 20, 2025 9:47 am PST by
Google today announced a new cross-platform feature that allows for file sharing between iPhone and Android users. With AirDrop on the iPhone and QuickShare on Pixel 10 devices, there is a new file transfer function available. The file sharing option works on Apple devices that include iPhone, iPad, and Mac, along with the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Fold....

Top Rated Comments

abowlby Avatar
60 months ago
For those asking, high refresh rates are more easily appreciated when they are gone. You notice their absence more than their presence. That alone is characteristically very much like an "Apple feature."

For those acting like it's a gimmick, come back and +1 this comment after you use one for awhile. Saying higher refresh rates are a gimmick is the same as saying higher resolution or "retina" displays are a gimmick. They objectively are not.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Metrosey Avatar
60 months ago

Probably the biggest and most exciting feature for me

Scrolling with anything less is a pain in the eyes
You must have really struggled with every single iPhone then and every phone before 2018, that must be really annoying for you.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
apparatchik Avatar
60 months ago
ProMotion is not about 120hz refresh rate but about variable refresh rate, that’s what was revolutionary about it when it was introduced, so the display can clock down to 24hz or 30hz for video consumption or 10hz for static content.

The times the screen goes all the way up to 120hz is just here and there. So when you scroll text, it can go up and then when you stop to read or to reply a message it goes back down. This allowed Apple to introduce the technology while saving power.

This is also what set it apart from those infamous half-backed Android implementation where the user had to “choose” (sacrifice) between screen resolution, refresh rate or battery life.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
60 months ago
This makes me happy primarily so that people who constantly whine about this will move on to complain about other things that, perhaps, the rest of us can actually see.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DotCom2 Avatar
60 months ago
Can someone please educate me on what the big deal is about this?
I don't seem to have any issue with scrolling on my current iphone 12 Max Pro or my 2018 iPad Pro.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lemon Olive Avatar
60 months ago

This makes me happy primarily so that people who constantly whine about this will move on to complain about other things that, perhaps, the rest of us can actually see.
:rolleyes: The 120 Hz display is the most significant update iPad has gotten since Retina. It makes an unbelievable difference to every single user who looks at the display.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)