iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Plus to Sport OLED Screens With 120Hz Refresh Rate, Always-on Support

Apple's iPhone 17 series will reportedly be equipped with upgraded OLED screens that support a higher refresh rate, according to a report. In recent years, Apple's 'Pro' models have featured OLED screens with low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) technology that allow the refresh rate to drop to 1Hz, allowing the company's premium handsets to display a nearly static always-on display mode. With the rumoured inclusion of the upgraded screens, the company's standard models in the iPhone 17 series of smartphones could also arrive with support for this feature.

A report in The Elec (in Korean) citing supply chain reports states that Apple is planning to equip the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus — these phones are expected to debut in the second half of 2025 as the successors to the upcoming iPhone 16 series — with LTPO OLED screens. The technology was introduced by the company on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max and is also available on the current-generation iPhone 15 Pro models.

If these predictions are accurate, the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus will be the first standard iPhone models to sport an OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. Currently, the company's non-Pro models have a refresh rate of 60Hz, while the 120Hz ProMotion displays are reserved for the more expensive phones.

Meanwhile, the inclusion of LTPO AMOLED screens should allow the entire iPhone 17 lineup to offer support for the always-on display mode that arrived with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Unlike most Android smartphones that use a pure black always-on display with text for the clock and notifications, iOS dims the lock screen and lowers the display's refresh rate to 1Hz on its Pro models, allowing the wallpaper to be displayed. 

The report states that Apple supplier BOE is expected to produce these displays in time for next year's smartphones. However, it's worth taking these claims with a grain of salt, as there are several months to go until Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 16 series later this year, while the iPhone 17 models are expected to arrive in the second half of 2025.

According to recent reports, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max might be equipped with larger screens compared to their predecessors. The purported iPhone 16 Pro‌‌ and iPhone 16 Pro Max might sport 6.27-inch (159.31mm) and 6.85-inch (174.06mm) displays, respectively. These claims are in line with previously leaked CAD designs for both smartphones and previous reports that also suggest the iPhone 16 Pro models displays will get larger. More details about the upcoming phones are expected to surface in the coming months.