There's a reason smartphone displays garner a lot of attention — it's the part of the device you spend the most time staring at. So you're going to appreciate a screen that's big, bold and bright.
Apple's iPhone 17 launch event is coming up, and I expect a lot of us are going to be taking a close look at the screens on the new iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models. And based on rumors about the upcoming phones, it sounds like Apple is going to be giving us a lot to study.
I've been following iPhone 17 rumors practically since the day the iPhone 16 started shipping a a year ago. And in that time, more than a few forecasts about what's going to happen to the new phones' displays have been on my radar. With that in mind, here are five possible iPhone 17 display changes to keep an eye out for when Apple announces its new lineup.
A fast-refreshing display for the iPhone 17
iPhone Pro models have offered displays with 120Hz refresh rates since the iPhone 13 Pro arrived in 2021. And in that same time, the standard iPhone model — not to mention all the mini and Plus variants — have remained locked at 60Hz. Meanwhile, fast-refreshing displays have become so common, you'll even find them on the best cheap phones under $500… but not on Apple's $799 flagship device.
But multiple sources report that Apple is going to change that with the iPhone 17. The ProMotion display that adorns Apple's Pro phones is apparently headed to the standard model. Not everyone expects the iPhone 17 to fully match the adaptive 1-120Hz refresh rate that the iPhone 17 Pro will feature, but anything that breaks the regular iPhone out of its 60Hz rut is a welcome step.
That's because fast refresh rates make scrolling down a web page a lot smoother. Graphically-intense games also become more immersive. It may not be a feature you notice if all you've ever known is a 60Hz panel, but once you've benefitted from a fast-refresh rate, you're never going to want to go back.
Larger screen on the iPhone 17
With the iPhone 16 launch last year, Apple upped the screen sizes for its Pro models. The iPhone 16 Pro debuted with a 6.3-inch panel, up from 6.1 inches on its predecessor, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max delivered a super-sized 6.9-inch screen. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 remained at 6.1 inches.
Rumors have the iPhone 17 swapping out that smaller display for a 6.3-inch panel, matching what the Pro model offers. And while it's not a big change — technically, Apple would only be increasing the screen real estate by 0.15 inches from the iPhone 16 — users will benefit from the additional space without too much of a sacrifice to the standard iPhone's compact design.
A smaller Dynamic Island
There could be a little extra breathing room on every iPhone display, as a matter of fact, with reports that Apple has found a way to shrink the Dynamic Island area on its screens. That's the cutout that exists to house the front camera and the sensors needed to operate Face ID security features.
The feature depends on Apple switching to a "metalens" — a flat lens that turns to metasurfaces to focus light toward an image sensor. According to reports, the Face ID metalens used in the iPhone 17 models would be smaller and thinner than before because it combines transmitter and receiver parts. The end result? A smaller cutout interrupting the flow of your iPhone display.
It should be noted that the original rumor about the smaller Dynamic Island only mentioned the iPhone 17 Pro Max. But subsequent reports claim the feature is headed to all iPhone 17 models.
iPhone 17 Pro display improvements
The standard iPhone 17 is in line for the bigger display changes given the likely increase in size and refresh rate boost. But Apple may usher in some improvements for the iPhone 17 Pro if one particular rumor pans out.
Late last year, a rumor surfaced that Apple would turn to something called "low-dielectric TEE" technology for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. In a nutshell, that technology allows displays to use power more efficiently, potentially benefitting the battery life of your phone. Another benefit is a more durable display that can stand up better to everyday use.
It sounds too good to be true — and it might well be, as subsequent reports claim that Apple has been unable to scale up the technology for production. We'll hope that Apple finds some way to make its Pro displays more efficient and resistant to glare, but it does seem like this rumor's a longshot compared to the other possibilities listed here.
Brighter screens?
There hasn't been that much talk of improvements to display brightness, but that's an area phone makes have been concentrating on as of late, Apple included. And a late-breaking iPhone 17 Pro rumor suggests the screens could be getting brighter on Apple's premium handsets.
As spotted by 9to5 Mac, a leaker by the name of Instant Digital claims the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max displays will be able to maintain peak brightness for longer periods when you're outside in bright sunlight. It's unclear if this means an improvement from the 2,000 nits of peak brightness that Apple claims for the iPhone 16 Pro's screen.
Certainly, Apple's competitors are throwing down the gauntlet when it comes to brightness. The Pixel 10 Pro now claims a peak brightness of 3,300 nits, and we managed to get a reading of 1,976 nits in our testing. For context, the iPhone 16 Pro peaked at 1,510 nits when we reviewed that phone.
With Apple's iPhone 17 lineup set to debut shortly, we'll soon get to see just how bright the new displays can get — and if the other rumored display improvements come to fruition.
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More from Tom's Guide
- iPhone 17 vs iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro: Here's all the new rumored features
- The iPhone 17 Pro sounds like it will be the iPhone to get this year — here’s why
- iPhone 17 Air rumors — what to expect from Apple's newest phone
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