iPhone 12 Pro leak just confirmed the huge upgrade we've been waiting for

iPhone 12 Pro navy blue
(Image credit: Svetapple)

It's the iPhone 12 Pro upgrade we've heard could be coming, but now it seems like a lock. Another leak has reinforced that the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will come with a 120Hz refresh-rate display, ready to take on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20

Serial tech leaker Ice Universe tweeted that a reliable source has tipped them off that the displays of the Pro models of the upcoming iPhone 12 will come with a high refresh rate, which further confirms the rumors we’ve heard so far. It also suggests that the standard iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max will have to make do with a normal 60Hz refresh rate. 

The 120Hz refresh-rate displays are likely to be based on the Pro Motion technology found in the iPad Pro 2020 and earlier models of Apple’s high-end tablet. Such displays make everything from scrolling and video playback to gaming look and feel smoother and more responsive. 

Given the likes of the Galaxy S20 and OnePlus 8 Pro have 120Hz displays, and the upcoming Galaxy Note 20 phones are also set to have high refresh-rate displays, Apple’s move to equip the iPhone 12 Pro phones with such screen tech is needed for it to keep pace with Android rivals. It’s often said that once you use a 120Hz refresh-rate display it’s difficult to go back to standard 60Hz screens. 

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It may seem odd that that Apple isn’t equipping the regular iPhone 12 phones with a Pro Motion display. However, a new price leak for the iPhone 12 has it priced as low as $549. So this could be about hitting a particular price.

The Galaxy Note 20 does have an advantage with its rumored 120Hz display. It's supposed to use LTPO technology, which would allow the panel to scale its refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz dynamically. This could give Samsung an edge on battery life.

Going by the leaks so far, the iPhone 12 range be made up of four models in three different screen sizes: 5.4-inch and 6.1-inch for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max and 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches for the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. All four are tipped to come with 5G connectivity, which will be a first for Apple’s phones.

On the cameras front, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max are expected to have a pair of rear-cameras. And the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max are rumored to use a triple-camera array, with at least the Max model also getting a LiDAR sensor as seen with the iPad Pro 2020. 

Most notably, all four iPhone 12 models are expected to have a new design that uses more squared-off edges akin to an iPhone 5, which should please some longtime iPhone fans. 

Roland Moore-Colyer

Roland Moore-Colyer a Managing Editor at Tom’s Guide with a focus on news, features and opinion articles. He often writes about gaming, phones, laptops and other bits of hardware; he’s also got an interest in cars. When not at his desk Roland can be found wandering around London, often with a look of curiosity on his face.