Something to look forward to: For many tech enthusiasts, the 60Hz screens on non-Pro iPhone models have been a deal-breaker, especially as 120Hz displays have become standard on high-end Android phones. But with rumors pointing toward a refresh rate upgrade, these users will soon have one less reason to view non-Pro iPhones as inferior.
Rumors are heating up about next year’s iPhone 17 and 17 Plus models already. According to a new report from The Elec, Apple’s 2025 iPhones will bring the company’s ProMotion display technology to its more affordable handsets for the first time.
ProMotion allows the screen to dynamically adjust its refresh rate from as low as 1Hz to 120Hz for smoother scrolling and animations. Dropping down to 1Hz means the screen shows static content, which saves battery. These displays utilize an advanced low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) backplane, while current models like the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus use less capable low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS).
So why has Apple reserved its LTPO screens for the high-end Pro models up to now? As with many other features, limiting ProMotion to top-tier devices helps differentiate the product lineup and pushes buyers towards Apple’s more profitable models. While the company doesn’t always react to rivals, it does eventually need to diffuse new technology into its wider iPhone range to prevent obsolescence. Samsung’s entire Galaxy S24 lineup launched earlier this year with LTPO displays.
According to the report, Apple is now planning to bring ProMotion LTPO panels to all four models in the 2025 iPhone 17 range. This likely means they will also get the always-on display capability that Apple currently reserves for its Pro iPhones, allowing users to view essential info like the time and notifications while the screen is locked.
Apple is said to be looking to BOE as a potential supplier of LTPO panels for the 2025 iPhones. However, questions remain around BOE’s ability to meet Apple’s production capacity and quality control requirements. If BOE falls short, Samsung and LG Display are waiting in the wings as alternative sources, according to the report.
In addition to stepping up display technology across the lineup, the iPhone 17 generation is tipped to adopt taller aspect ratio screens. According to a previous report from analyst Ross Young, the iPhone 16 Pro models will shift from a 19.5:9 ratio to 19.6:9. That change will also make its way down to the regular iPhone 17 and 17 Plus, which are expected to see their screen sizes bumped up from 6.12-inches to 6.27-inches and 6.69-inches to 6.86-inches, respectively.
The takeaway? All signs point to the entire iPhone 17 lineup being a meaningful step up from their predecessors, with larger LTPO OLED displays on all models enabling smoother scrolling, better video, and an always-on lock screen. After a series of (somewhat) incremental upgrades, it’s looking like 2025 will bring more significant changes across Apple’s next iPhone family.
