Our expectations for the ProMotion always-on display for both iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 models have been echoed in a new supply-chain report.
Way back in May of last year, display analyst Ross Young shared what he believes to be Apple’s roadmap for 2024 and 2025 …
Last year’s always-on display report
Young’s report itself was consistent with our own exclusive reporting on plans for larger screen sizes for the two iPhone 16 Pro models.
The spec Young provided matched the CAD files we obtained, and he stated that the non-Pro models would have LPTS (low-temperature polycrystalline silicon) displays, while the Pro models would have LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) ones. Only LTPO supports the variable refresh rate needed for an always-on display.
He went on to provide specs for the iPhone 17 line-up, indicating that all four models would have the LTPO technology needed for always-on displays.
Latest supply-chain report
The Elec echoes these expectations, which it said had been in doubt given that BOE was struggling to meet Apple’s standards for LTPO displays. This in turn threw into question whether Apple’s existing display suppliers would be able to hit the volume requirements of extending the displays to the non-Pro models.
Currently, only Samsung makes LTPO displays for Apple, while rival LG focuses on the older LPTS screens. Apple planned to address this by bringing BOE aboard as a second LTPO supplier.
The report says that Apple is assisting BOE with its LTPO display development, but will be able to proceed with its plans with or without the Chinese company.
Recently, some in the industry have estimated that Apple will be able to maintain the LTPS TFT in the iPhone 17 series next year with at least one sub-lineup due to the lack of BOE’s LTPO technology. However, the prospect that ‘Apple will apply LTPO TFT to all four types as originally planned because iPhone 17 series differentiation is more important’ […]
Even if BOE’s LTPO technology at the end of next year does not meet Apple’s expectations, the prospect is that Apple will apply LTPO-type OLED to all four iPhone 17 series next year.
The site also reiterates that the feature will remain exclusive to the Pro models for this year’s iPhone 16 line-up.
Image: 9to5Mac composite using images from Apple and Paul Pastourmatzis on Unsplash
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