Standard iPhone 17 models may finally get a big display upgrade - but there's a catch

The iPhone 16 Pro Max. | Image Credit - PhoneArena

A new leak by Setsuna Digital on Weibo hints that all four iPhone 17 models will be equipped with high-quality Samsung Display OLED panels like the iPhone 16 Pro models.

We've heard plenty of exciting and super-confusing info about the iPhone 17 series, Apple's next flagship phones. If you've been on the internet these days, you've probably seen the strange rumor floating around about a huge redesign seemingly planned for the iPhone 17 Air and Pro models. We've also heard more likely things like the Dynamic Island still being the same, despite earlier rumors suggesting otherwise.

Now, we have an exciting rumor coming from leaker Setsuna Digital, also known as Instant Digital, on Weibo. According to their sources, all iPhone 17 models will come with Samsung's M14 OLED panels. Usually, the Pro iPhones get slightly better displays than the non-Pro iPhones, and it's one of the differences between members of the same iPhone series.

The M14 panel in the iPhone 16 Pro offered a 30% boost in brightness and a better lifespan of the display compared to the preceding M13 panel. The M14 display also needs less power than the predecessor, meaning it could contribute to longer battery life.

The non-Pro iPhone 16 models used the M12 panel, which was the same as the one used in the iPhone 15.

The leaker has a mixed track record. They haven't had a definitively accurate rumor in the past, so you can take this info with a grain of salt.

Before you get excited about ProMotion though, there's something worth mentioning here. The M14 panel indeed brings Pro features to the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, including fluid ProMotion (Apple's fancy way of saying a 120Hz display refresh rate), higher levels of brightness, and less power consumption. However, it seems unlikely that the non-Pro iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will get the 120Hz refresh rate.

Apple has not offered ProMotion to any non-Pro models thus far. Although claims on Weibo about the new iPhones potentially finally getting it have been circulating, I'm prone to not believing it fully, as it seems to me it may remain as a Pro iPhone thing, at least for now.

Apple's main rival, Samsung, has been offering fluid 120Hz refresh rate displays even on their budget phones, so Apple is long overdue for that upgrade for the standard iPhones, but as we all know too well, Apple can be stubborn when it comes to fancy tech everyone else is already offering.

But at least, if this rumor turns out true, you can expect improved brightness and less battery drain from the OLED panels for the iPhone 17 series.