“iPhone 17 and 17 Air May Miss Out on ProMotion: What That Means for You”
If you’ve been holding out for Apple’s next iPhone to finally bring a silky-smooth 120Hz ProMotion display to its standard models, you might want to manage your expectations.
A new tip from Chinese leaker Fixed Focus Digital suggests that while the upcoming iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will likely feature 120Hz displays, they won’t include Apple’s adaptive ProMotion technology—a feature that has long remained exclusive to the Pro lineup.
Since 2021, Apple has reserved its ProMotion screens—which offer dynamic refresh rates ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz—for the Pro models, beginning with the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max. These displays aren’t just about smoother scrolling; they also enable battery-saving features like Always-On Display and fluid responsiveness during gaming or multitasking.
Earlier, analysts such as Ross Young from DSCC predicted that the iPhone 17 series would mark the first time every iPhone model receives a 120Hz ProMotion screen. However, the new leak claims that while iPhone 17 and 17 Air will see an upgrade from the current 60Hz OLED panels (as used in iPhone 16 and 16 Plus), they’ll still lack adaptive refresh rate support—making them “just regular 120Hz” displays.
While that’s still an improvement from the 60Hz screens Apple has used on its non-Pro iPhones, it might disappoint fans hoping for the complete ProMotion experience across the board.
Other expected features in the lineup include new Apple silicon chips:
The standard iPhone 17 is tipped to use the A18 chip.
The iPhone 17 Air might pack a more powerful A19 chip.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are expected to come with the advanced A19 Pro chip.
All four models are expected to be unveiled at Apple’s annual September event.
So, if you’re looking for buttery-smooth animations and power-saving display tech, you might still need to opt for the Pro models—at least for one more year.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
