Apple might finally be giving its non-Pro iPhones the display upgrade fans. According to fresh leaks, the upcoming iPhone 17 and the all-new iPhone 17 Air could both come with 120Hz refresh rate screens. But, Apple might play smart and still make the Pro models feel more premium with this one minor detail. 

Until now, the 120Hz ProMotion displays have been exclusive to the iPhone Pro models. Meanwhile, the standard and Plus variants have been stuck with 60Hz, making the experience a little slower. That’s finally set to change, with both the iPhone 17 and the ultra-slim iPhone 17 Air rumoured to get high refresh rate displays this year. This would finally bring a much smoother user experience, especially when scrolling or gaming. This upgrade would also attract more people to finally jump ship to the iOS side.

But the biggest twist is that Apple might not support ProMotion on these displays. So, basically, Apple calls variable refresh rate ProMotion. This means that the display can shift between 1Hz and 120Hz dynamically, helping save battery life when you’re not doing anything intensive. This is also possible as ProMotion relies on LTPO display panels, which will still be exclusive to the Pro models. So, while the standard models will get the smoother feel, don’t expect the same battery optimisations.

This leak is still unconfirmed, but if true, it would mark a big shift in how Apple treats its regular iPhones. Just getting 120Hz panels without on base models would be a huge win for those who don’t want to spend more on the Pro. 

iPhone 17 Series Rumours Recap 

This year, the iPhone 17 series is in for a huge upgrade. The base iPhones are also changing, and this time around we’ll get a completely new iPhone as well. The design is also said to get a revamp after years. Apple will be introducing a new slim iPhone 17 Air, which could be one of the slimmest devices on the market. This Air model is said to replace the Plus model and would look more premium. That said, we’ll also most likely see some performance upgrades with the A19 and A19 Pro Bionic.