What would be the one expected new feature on the Apple iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max that would have you reserving a unit the minute that pre-orders start getting accepted? The update to the aperture on the ultra wide-angle cameras from f/2.4 to f/1.8? How about the ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate on the screen?
The entire Apple iPhone 13 Pro line could sport an LTPO 120Hz OLED screen this year
While many do believe that this year we will see Apple include a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate for the OLED screens on the 2021 iPhone Pro units (after all, the iPad Pro tablets already have this capability although the slates use an LCD panel instead of OLED), there are some who say that they are not so thrilled about this. That’s because there are some battery nerds (like this writer) who keep their iPhone in dark mode not just because they like the way it looks, but also because it delivers some slight savings to battery life.
You see, adding a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate will allow the battery on the upcoming iPhones to drain faster than you can say wallhugger. But Apple has a plan to prevent the 120Hz refresh rate, which makes scrolling buttery smooth, from draining the iPhone’s battery This plan calls for the use of low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) technology which allows the phone to reduce the refresh rate when the content on the screen doesn’t call for the display to be updated 120 times per second. For example, while playing a video game, animation is enhanced by a faster refresh rate. However, when viewing content that is static, like a text or email, the refresh rate drops down sharply saving the battery from being wasted.
Ross Young says that two iPhone 13 models will be outfitted with an LTPO AMOLED display allowing for a dynamic refresh rate to be used
While Young didn’t say which two models will get the cutting-edge screens, the odds favor that both the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max will be the ones. The Apple Watch uses LTPO for its AMOLED displays and the refresh rate for the timepiece is reduced sharply when the user is not engaged with the watch.
Among the changes rumored for this year’s iPhone 13 models, the Pro units could be offered with up to 1TB of storage, double the 512GB maximum available last year. We could also see some tweaks in the battery capacity department and a larger camera bump on back. We should see Apple unveil the iPhone 13 series this coming September and possibly release the line during the same month.
