iPhone 17 Air may get 120Hz display, but lack ProMotion features

The base model iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Air are currently expected to get ProMotion displays, but a leaker suggests these reports are only half-right.

They suggest that the non-Pro models will get the higher refresh-rate 120Hz displays, but that these will be lacking two key ProMotion features …

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air displays

ProMotion displays have so far been limited to Pro model iPhones, but display analyst Ross Young said in September of last year that they would this year be coming to the full line-up. That would mean the base iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air getting the feature.

Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station (DCS) – who previously posted accurate leaks about the telephoto lens coming to the iPhone 16 Pro and the larger sensor size in the main camera last year – said something slightly less specific. At the time, this appeared to be supporting Young’s report, but it now seems this may not have been the case.

DCS said the two non-Pro models would be getting high refresh-rate displays. Fixed focus digital has now said the same thing, but specifically said that they are not ProMotion displays.

To correct a piece of news, overseas and Aggio shared the problem of the display refresh rate of the iPhone 17 series a few days ago. Latest channel news: It’s just an ordinary 120hz screen, but not a ProMotion adaptive refresh rate.

120Hz displays have a high refresh rate, so give smoother rendering, which is most notable in games and scrolling.

ProMotion displays max out at 120Hz, but they are variable-rate displays, meaning they can back down to slower speeds to save battery life when faster refresh isn’t needed. They can drop all the way down to 1Hz, which is what enables the always-on display of the Pro models.

9to5Mac’s take

Young is usually a very reliable source when it comes to display matters, but it’s possible that in this case he saw evidence of 120Hz displays and assumed this meant ProMotion.

It’s notable that DCS was less specific, and this latest report may well explain why.

I do find this credible. It was becoming a little embarrassing that Apple wasn’t offering 120Hz displays across the range. With this approach, the company would save a little money but probably more significantly retain a visible differentiation between the Pro and non-Pro models. The lack of always-on display would immediately distinguish the models.