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topicnews · October 25, 2024

The Apple Watch Series 10 hints at a possible display upgrade for future iPhones

The Apple Watch Series 10 hints at a possible display upgrade for future iPhones

The latest from Apple The Apple Watch Series 10 introduced a significant upgrade under the hood: a new low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) thin-film transistor (TFT) technology in its display. This technological advancement, called LTPO3, represents a notable improvement over the previous generation LTPO2.

What is LTPO?

LTPO is a backplane technology that enables dynamic refresh rate adjustments in OLED displays. Essentially, it allows devices to adjust the screen refresh rate based on the content being displayed, saving power while ensuring a smooth visual experience. For the Apple Watch, LTPO was instrumental in enabling the always-on display feature. While LTPO2 offered a refresh rate range of 1Hz to 120Hz, LTPO3 is a more incremental update. It promises further energy savings and potentially opens the door to even higher refresh rates. This could mean smoother animations, less motion blur, and a more responsive interface.

The next frontier of the iPhone?

Given the success of LTPO in the Apple Watch, industry observers are There is a lot of speculation about its possible integration into future iPhone models. If Apple decides to introduce LTPO3 for its iPhones. We could see a significant improvement to the ProMotion display, perhaps expanding the refresh rate range to 240Hz.

However, we suspect that Apple wouldn’t increase the refresh rate of its phones to such high levels even if it were to introduce LTPO3 technology in future iPhones. Such frame rates are arguably unnecessary unless Apple thinks of a creative way to use them. However, this could mean that users will be able to play games with frame rates higher than 120 frames per second.

Samsung’s role in LTPO development

Samsung Display, a major iPhone screen supplier, is reportedly involved in the LTPO OLED development project for the Apple Watch 11. This is interesting because Samsung hasn’t played a significant role in making Apple Watch displays to date.

The speculation here is that Samsung is entering into this collaboration with the aim of equipping itself with the expertise and capacity to produce LTPO3-based iPhone displays in the future.
The introduction of LTPO3 marks a step forward in display technology for Apple devices. Apple isn’t usually the first to introduce new technology, and it’s notorious for being particularly slow to introduce higher refresh rates. It wasn’t too long ago that the company finally brought 120 Hz displays to market iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, as well as non-Pro iPhones to date, only have a 60Hz refresh rate. Hopefully, this news is an indication that the company is finally thinking about improving the standard iPhone models with smoother displays.


Aleksandar is a technology enthusiast with a wide range of interests, from smartphones to space exploration. His curiosity extends to hands-on DIY experiments with his gadgets and he enjoys switching between different brands to experience the latest innovations. Before joining PhoneArena, Aleksandar worked on the Google Art Project, where he digitized valuable artworks and gained diverse perspectives on technology. When he’s not busy with technology, Aleksandar is a nature lover who enjoys mountain hiking, wildlife photography and conservation. His interests also extend to martial arts, running and snowboarding, reflecting his dynamic approach to life and technology.

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