It really looks like the iPhone 17 is getting a 120Hz display next year

By Bryan M. Wolfe Published December 30, 2024

The lock screen on the iPhone 16. — Joe Maring / Digital Trends

One of the biggest criticisms of regular iPhones in recent years has been their lack of 120Hz displays, which have been available in the iPhone Pro models going back to the iPhone 13 Pro in 2021. For instance, the iPhone 16, though celebrated for being the best iPhone on the market, still operates at a 60Hz refresh rate like many of its predecessors. However, this is expected to change with the upcoming iPhone 17 series set to launch next year.

Industry insider Digital Chat Station is the latest to confirm that all iPhone 17 models will feature a “high refresh rate” display. This information aligns with a September report from display expert Ross Young, who clarified that the entire iPhone lineup will feature 120Hz displays next fall.

Recommended Videos

A smartphone’s refresh rate is measured in hertz (Hz) and refers to how many times the display updates its content each second. A higher refresh rate leads to smoother and more responsive visuals, especially for activities like gaming or scrolling through content.

All iPhone 17 models are also expected to incorporate LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) screens. LTPO is an advanced backplane technology that enables OLED screens to adjust their refresh rates dynamically while using less power. This not only provides smoother touch interactions, but also decreases battery consumption.

Next year’s iPhone 17 lineup is again expected to include a regular model, iPhone Pro, and iPhone Pro Max. An all-new iPhone, the Air, is also likely to be released and replace the iPhone Plus in the lineup. This is expected to be the thinnest iPhone to date.

The new phones should be announced next September.

Former Mobile and A/V Freelancer

Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.

Topics

Phones

Spotify meets Snap Map in Snapchat’s latest update

The new Now Playing feature adds real-time music sharing with customizable privacy controls.

Now Playing on Snap Map Spotify Snapchat featured

Snapchat is giving Snap Map a musical makeover. The company has announced Now Playing, a new feature that lets users share the music they're listening to in real time directly on Snap Map. Launching first with Spotify, the integration allows friends to discover each other's favorite tracks, save songs, and jump straight into Spotify without leaving Snapchat. The feature is rolling out now in regions where both Snapchat and Spotify are available, with Canada set to receive it soon.

How Now Playing works

Phones

OnePlus is building another flagship monster for a shrinking audience, and its expected to launch in October

OnePlus 16 could launch in October, but it may not leave China

Rear shell of OnePlus 15.

While OnePlus may have exited the US and Europe, the brand is still alive in its home market and is already working on its next flagship smartphone. A fresh leak from Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station has now revealed more details about the OnePlus 16, including its design and a revised launch timeline.

The tipster previously claimed that the phone would arrive in September 2026, but the latest information points to an October launch in China (via Gizmochina). The global picture is far less clear, and there is now even some doubt over whether the OnePlus 16 will make it to India, which remains the company’s biggest market.

Phones

Samsung has another wild foldable phone lined up for 2027 and it will excite screen connoisseurs

Samsung wants another giant OLED folding inside your pocket

Samsung Galaxy TriFold unfolded

Samsung just gave foldable fans a wider 4:3 canvas with the Galaxy Z Fold 8. But that still isn't enough screen for the company. Samsung has reportedly begun early development of a successor to the Galaxy Z TriFold, its dual-hinged phone that unfolds into something much closer to a proper tablet.

According to Korean publication ETNews, Samsung has already shared information about the next-generation project with suppliers, but its final specifications have yet to be decided. One detail should immediately grab the attention of anyone who buys a foldable primarily for its display. A source familiar with the project told ETNews that Samsung is currently targeting a screen size similar to the original TriFold.