Previous rumors have suggested that the iPhone 13 will have an upgraded chipset, a smaller notch, an improved camera, and possibly the return of Touch ID under the display. But the most interesting upgrade to me is that the iPhone 13 may feature a display with a high refresh rate of 120 Hz.
Such a display was expected, at least on the Pro model iPhone 12, but never materialized. iPhone 12 Pro Max has an impressive high-end camera and flat-edge design, but the OLED display's refresh rate of 60Hz is still at 60Hz. This is very disappointing in my eyes. Let me explain.
I often write about android phones, and for the past few years I have used Samsung, OnePlus, Google, and Oppo phones, replacing my phone every four to six months. However, I still consider myself a platform-agnostic person.
So when the iPhone 12 was sent to me for testing, I was excited to have the latest device made in Cupertino with the latest version of iOS. My first smartphone was an iPhone 4S, so I have some familiarity with the iOS ecosystem. However, using the latest iPhone 12 reminded me of how comfortable Apple's smartphones can be with the experience.
Okay, moving apps around and handling notifications still feels cumbersome to me. But the icon design, the tidiness of the settings menu, the new-feeling dark mode, the pair of powerful rear-facing cameras, and the transparency of folders all felt nice to use. And all of this was accentuated by the iPhone 12's sleek design and beautiful OLED display. Being used to the punch-hole camera, the notch was a bit annoying, but I quickly got used to it.
What I could not get used to was the lack of a high refresh rate. I first experienced a 90Hz refresh rate display on the OnePlus 7 Pro and immediately liked its smoothness, although I did not find it essential. But then I had to go back to a 60Hz display on my Samsung phone for work, so I didn't have much time to get used to the higher refresh rate.
Then in 2020, I started using the rather nice Oppo Find X2 Pro with a 120Hz refresh rate, the OnePlus 8T, the Samsung Galaxy S21, and my current daily driver, the Oppo Find X3 Pro, All subsequent smartphones have 120Hz displays. I can now feel the difference between the Google Pixel 5's 90Hz display.
Therefore, going back to 60Hz smartphone displays was very uncomfortable, even for a critically acclaimed phone like the iPhone 12.
Now, don't get me wrong, the iPhone 12 provides a wonderfully smooth experience. iOS 14.5 is clearly optimized, but the power of the A14 Bionic means that moving between games and apps is seamless.
However, its powerful chip and racy software cannot match the smoothness of a 120Hz display; the overwhelming power of the A14 Bionic seems to be tempered by the iPhone 12's 60Hz panel. Think of it like trying to drive a Ferrari on a narrow road with a 30 mph speed limit.
By comparison, the Oppo Find X3 Pro has the latest flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 and a fantastic 120Hz OLED display. Considering the touch sampling is 240Hz, the phone feels ridiculously responsive, as if the screen, chip, and software are in perfect harmony.
Of course, all that may change with the iPhone 13. At least with the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, because the larger models are expected to feature high refresh rate LTPO panels. And given my experience with the iPhone 12, I would definitely consider going back to iOS if Cupertino finally makes a phone with a 120Hz refresh rate.
Besides smoothness, there are other reasons why the iPhone 13's LTPO 120Hz display is compelling.
Although cell phones with high refresh rate displays have been around for more than two years, the first implementations of such panels were not perfect. Also, adding the ability to switch refresh rates required extra hardware between the phone and the display. [But now there are phones with LTPO panel technology that enable dynamic refresh rates, scaling the screen down from 120 Hz to just 1 Hz, saving battery life and not imposing unnatural motion on movie and video content. LTPO displays are found, for example, in the OnePlus 9 Pro and Samsung's Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Thus, if the rumors prove true, Apple's decision to wait rather than be the first to adopt a high refresh rate may mean it will have access to the best take on high refresh rate displays available this year. And if there is one thing Apple is good at, it is using existing technology in the most sophisticated way possible.
"Apple will demand extremely tight tolerances from Samsung Display with respect to panels and brand them ProMotion, like the iPad Pro's variable refresh display," Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart The iPhone will be a software, silicon, and user experience success story," he told me. The iPhone is a differentiated system in terms of software, silicon, user interface, and ecosystem.
This last statement is particularly interesting. The depth and breadth of the developer ecosystem that Apple manages means that when the iPhone gets a high refresh display, there will likely be many apps configured to take advantage of 120Hz. I especially like the idea of a 120Hz Apple Arcade game, which would be a great way to get a lot of the same functionality as the iPhone.
Furthermore, if Apple adopts a particular type of technology, other phone makers will be forced to refine that technology or come up with something special to curb the threat of the new iPhone. And that could mean Samsung adopting a higher refresh rate display or new panel components to further reduce battery drain due to the 120 Hz refresh rate.
But even if that does not happen, an iPhone 13 with a 120 Hz refresh rate would be enough to make one consider a shift away from Android and a return of some sort to the smartphone's origins. [It would be a shame to leave standard iPhone users by the wayside, especially since the standard iPhone has been one of the best phones you can buy dollar for dollar for generations.
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