I like to put “cheap” in quotes when referring to cell phones like the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, given that they’re actually cheaper than the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, but despite that, they start at 959 and 1,109 dollars respectively. They are of high rank and yet They are still missing an essential element of the high end that we see from other manufacturers.
In case you still don’t understand what I mean, I’m talking about 60Hz refresh ratewhich although they do not represent a drama, it is a more than considerable difference with the 120 Hz that the ‘Pro’ range has mounted since its debut in 2021 with the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max. Now, with the iPhone 17 on the horizon, it looks like things will change. As we have said so many other times…
Now yes. Now for real. 120 Hz. Filtration word
If you regularly follow news from the Apple world, you may have already realized that Every year we hear/read that the next iPhones will feature 120Hz without limitations. There was a clamor even before the first Apple phones debuted with this refresh rate, but the truth is that in the end there were a lot of rumors, but we are on the eve of 2025 and a iPhone worth over 1,000 dollars still has a refresh rate that even mid-range Android has long since adopted.
Amid the surge in iPhone 17 leaks, even though we haven’t yet gotten a full taste of the 16, sources close to Apple’s supply chain claim that all iPhone 17s will feature LTPO panels with a 120Hz refresh rate. This panel technology would involve a variable refresh rate which would allow for more efficient screens by being able to adapt its refresh rate to the situation, as is already the case currently in the “Pro”.
The leak comes from ETNews, a Korean media outlet with good information about Samsung Display, which will once again be the manufacturer supplying the screens for the new iPhones. And while there are reasons to be wary of what happened in previous years, the truth is that This time it makes more sense than ever.
How important is refresh rate?
AppleHub concept for iPhone 17, 17 Air, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max
Cost savings and differentiation are the obvious reasons why the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus still feature 60Hz. And that might seem like a major problem, because in fact it is, but in the context of the mobile telephony, this is less noticeable. absurd to continue to rely on 60 Hz panels in devices aimed at the high end.
The change from 60 to 120 Hz in refresh rate is noticeable. Just like the opposite (and this is what someone who experiences the latter says). And even if you get used to it quickly, the truth is that beyond the feeling that the cell phone is flying, implementing a higher refresh rate is necessary to go along with the processor. Take the A18 for example, an advanced SoC built using a 2-nanometer process, with plenty of power to run very graphically demanding video games and yet has to make do with a 60Hz refresh rate.
This is obviously the least of the problems of an iPhone. More battery and a better camera tend to be more popular claims. This refresh rate issue is something that enthusiasts and the media are latching on to more. This does not mean, however, that 120 Hz is a technology that is already sufficiently mature and democratized over the past three years for the next iPhone 17 to finally implement it across the entire series.
Cover image | Based on a concept from AppleTechIG
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