Apple will launch its flagship iPhone 17 line this fall, including the brand new, ultra-thin Air model. But the latest rumor about the iPhone 17 Air and ProMotion could limit its appeal to a lot of users, especially those coming from a Pro model.
Earlier this week, I wrote an article explaining why I plan to buy an iPhone 17 Air despite years of buying Pro models.
A few months ago, I had plenty of uncertainty about which model I’d choose this fall. But as new hands-on looks at the ultra-thin 17 Air emerged, I grew increasingly confident that would be my iPhone of choice.
And then, less than 24 hours later, a new iPhone 17 Air rumor emerged that cut deep.
An established Weibo leaker said that while the 17 Air will get a 120Hz display, it will not feature ProMotion.
What’s the difference? Here’s my colleague Ben:
120Hz displays have a high refresh rate, so give smoother rendering, which is most notable in games and scrolling.
ProMotion displays max out at 120Hz, but they are variable-rate displays, meaning they can back down to slower speeds to save battery life when faster refresh isn’t needed. They can drop all the way down to 1Hz, which is what enables the always-on display of the Pro models.
So if this rumor proves true, it’s good news and bad news.
The 120Hz display would mean scrolling should feel just as smooth as on the iPhone Pro.
That’s important, because after using 120Hz on Pro models for so long, 60Hz iPhone displays feel broken to me.
However, the absence of always-on would be hard to accept after years of enjoying the feature.
As someone who is otherwise very excited about the iPhone 17 Air, I of course want to believe this rumor is false.
Losing always-on would be tough to swallow. Piled on top of the other 17 Air shortcomings, I would have to think long and hard about my purchase decision.
But as I try to consider Apple’s perspective, I could see ProMotion’s absence having advantages and disadvantages.
Dropping ProMotion would give Apple the chance to push more users to its pricier Pro models, of course.
It would also, perhaps, help cover up the iPhone 17 Air’s reported battery shortcomings. By excluding an always-on display, Apple can tout better battery performance.
Except, battery also happens to be the main thing giving me hope that ProMotion could still be in the cards.
If the iPhone 17 Air’s 120Hz display isn’t variable-rate, in theory it won’t be able to scale down the refresh rate dynamically to preserve battery.
While an always-on display no doubt impacts the iPhone’s battery life, so too would a screen running at 120Hz non-stop, even when there’s no reason for it to.
Rumors indicate Apple is doing a lot to boost the iPhone 17 Air’s battery as much as possible, including new software features and a special battery case.
To me, that indicates it’s unlikely to withhold a key battery saver feature from the device’s 120Hz display. By including ProMotion, Apple can preserve battery life by ensuring the display dials down the refresh rate as needed.
Whatever happens, though, I suspect the loss of ProMotion could stop a lot of Pro users—possibly myself included—from buying the new iPhone 17 Air.
Is the iPhone’s always-on display important to you? Let us know in the comments.
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