Apple’s next-generation iPhones could feature displays based on new OLED material compositions, with the standard and 'Pro' iPhone 14 models differing in OLED technologies, as reported by TheElec.
Samsung will reportedly once again provide displays for the new iPhones, and with this new generation rumoured to shake up the iPhone lineup, these new reports align with existing speculations about the 2022 iPhone 14 series.
The report states that the 'material set' of the OLED displays will be a differentiator between the models in the iPhone 14 range. OLED material sets refer to the specific materials and components used to create the red, green and blue pixels in an OLED display. Using different materials to construct these displays can affect the performance, and with more advanced materials being available, we should theoretically see better performing and more efficient displays from the Pro models.
If rumours are to be believed, it looks like the iPhone 14 will stick to the same OLED screen technology as the 13 series, with the older M11 material set being the basis for the 14’s display. This covers both the predicted 6.1-inch iPhone 14 and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max. These non-Pro iPhones will also apparently have low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistor (TFT) OLED displays, hinting that the refresh rate of their displays will be 60Hz.
The iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, however, could well be on the receiving end of upgraded OLED displays, with Samsung’s new M12 material set taking centre stage. This is the same material set expected to feature on the brand’s own upcoming foldable phones.
These displays will also use low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) TFT OLED panels, which are more advanced than the LTPS TFT ones. LTPO TFT displays are capable of 120Hz as well as variable refresh rates, which are necessary for the ProMotion displays also found on the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max.
It appears that Samsung will be producing displays for all four new iPhone models, while LG will also be involved with production for just two of the upcoming devices.
A final new addition to the 14 Pro series' display is the highly requested addition of an 'always-on display'. A majority of Android phones utilise this feature well, providing a way to check the time, notifications or even what song is playing, without having to turn the display on. This is a major benefit of OLED screens as they only have to power the specific pixels needed to display the information, meaning this implementation not only looks cool but should also theoretically preserve battery life.
Screenshots of always-on-display widget options and animations uncovered from a recent XCode 14 beta have begun hitting Twitter, though frustratingly this option could another superior feature exclusive to the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, with the standard 14 and 14 Max missing out despite being touted to boast OLED displays.
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