The iPhone 13 could feature a variable 120Hz LTPO panel with the Always On feature

A report from South Korean outlet The Elec (via MacRumors) has corroborated claims that at least two models in the next iPhone series, presumably the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, will support a refresh rate of 120Hz.

The feature was left out of the iPhone 12 because of battery life concerns apparently. Next year, Apple is expected to adopt the low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO)  backplane technology. This would allow for a variable refresh rate and also assuage power efficiency concerns. It could also finally bring Always On Display to the iPhone.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and Z Fold 2 are the first smartphones in the industry to feature LTPO thin-film transistors (TFT) and the South Korean giant has branded the tech as hybrid oxide and polycrystalline silicon (HOP).

When compared to low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) that are commonly used for smartphones, LTPO can reduce the power consumption of OLED displays by up to 20 percent.

Today’s report also says that Samsung will supply the bulk of OLED panels for the iPhone 13, and the remainder will be divided between LG and BOE, provided the later passes apple’s quality test.

The report also claims that next year’s iPhone will feature an in-display fingerprint scanner, which is in line with a recent leak that said the iPhone 13 would have both Face ID and Touch ID. At the same time, a rumor asserts that the first prototype unit doesn’t have Touch ID, so it remains to be seen if the feature will make the cut. 

Apple is expected to sell the highest number of OLED-equipped iPhones next year

Apple is expected to sell between 160 million and 180 million units of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 in 2021. Samsung is apparently hoping to supply OLED panels for 140 million of them. 

Interestingly, The Elec also suggests that Apple is on track to sell 100 million units of the iPhone 12 this year, which is a more optimistic outlook than previous forecasts.