One of the major features of Apple's recent iPad Pro tablets is their 120Hz display refresh rate that makes animations and scrolling appear more smooth. Now a new report says that that feature is finally coming to the iPhone.
Apple will reportedly bring is ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate to the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max models later this year. That's according to Max Weinbach and EverythingApplePro, who also happen to be the sources of those iPhone 12 Pro design leaks that we reported on one month ago.
It's said that ProMotion will only be offered on the Pro models of the iPhone 12, meaning the 5.4-inch and 6.1-inch non-Pro iPhone 12 devices will stick with the same 60Hz refresh rate that we're accustomed to on Apple's phones. The iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max are expected to dynamically switch between 60Hz and 120Hz depending on what you're doing to help conserve battery life.
Apple is also said to be beefing up the battery sizes in its iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max to help counteract the battery drain from the 120Hz refresh rate. The exact sizes of these batteries aren't yet known, but it's been said that they could get up to 4400mAh. To compare, the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max battery sizes are 3046mAh and 3969mAh, respectively.
Today's report also sheds some light on the Face ID improvements Apple is planning for its next iPhones. The iPhone 12 will reportedly have a smaller notch to give you more screen real estate and will also have a wider field of view for Face ID so that it can recognize you at more angles.
Camera improvements are said to be another major focus for Apple with the iPhone 12. The company was reportedly testing a 64MP sensor but ultimately scrapped it because it was unhappy with the dual pixel autofocus performance.
Features that are expected to be coming with the iPhone 12 include an upgraded telephoto cam that'll go from 2x zoom to 3x. Apple may also be making improvements such as better autofocus and subject detection in low light, better Smart HDR, and improved long exposure segmentation and white balance.
Rumors have said that the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max will be getting a LIDAR sensor like the one found on the 2020 iPad Pro models, and it's expected that this could result in better portrait mode photos.
Finally, it's said that the iPhone 12 will be sticking with the same wide angle field of view for its rear camera as on the iPhone 11 series, which feature a 120-degree wide angle cam.
Apple is reportedly planning to launch four iPhone 12 models later this year. They include 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch Pro models and 5.4-inch and 6.1-inch non-Pro versions. All four are expected to include OLED displays and 5G connectivity, and a new iPad Pro-like design with flat sides is also rumored. Apple may be planning a new Navy Blue color to replace the Midnight Green hue found on the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max.
Typically we see Apple announce its new iPhone models in early September, but it's not known if the coronavirus pandemic will affect that timing for this year's iPhone 12 models. Reports have suggested that these devices could be pushed back several weeks but still arrive in the fall.