It's no secret that Apple will launch a new smartphone series, probably called the iPhone 14 series, in the fall of 2022. We've been getting leaks and rumors about the upcoming 2022 iPhone models for quite some time now, and if there are no delays in the supply chain, we could be getting the new iPhone 14 series as soon as September 2022.

Thanks to the leaked information, we already have a pretty good idea about how Apple's 2022 flagship smartphone is shaping up to be. The Pro models, specifically, are said to be getting some huge upgrades over the last generation. Features such as a 48MP primary camera, punch hole + pill-shaped cutout in the front, and even the new A16 Bionic chipset, are likely coming to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models only.

On the other hand, it looks like Apple has some other plans for the two non-Pro iPhone 14 models this year. First of all, the company is expected to drop the mini model for a new 6.7-inch Max model this year. The mini iPhone series has just not worked out for Apple, with the sales of both iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini quite underwhelming. It seems that the company has now decided to drop the 5.4-inch variant, and launch the upcoming new iPhone models in two display configurations, 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch, only.

iPhone 14 and 14 Max Specs Leak

But, apart from the new 6.7-inch model, not many upgrades are expected in the baseline iPhone 14 models. A few reports have suggested that the baseline iPhone 14 models will be restricted to the last-gen A15 Bionic chip, and only the Pro models will be getting the new 4nm node process-based A16 chip. In addition, the baseline models are expected to stick with the 12MP camera sensor and the same old design with a notch up front.

If this is the case, the iPhone 14 and 14 Max could prove to be a hard sell for Apple, particularly if the models aren't radically different from its predecessor. With Pro models coming with upgrades in almost all of the areas (display, chip, camera) and generally costing only a few $100 more than the non-Pro models, it could become way more important for Apple to differentiate the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 14. A new leak from Twitter tipster @Shadow_Leak suggests just that.

iPhone 13 Pro has 120hz display

@Shadow_Leak isn't yet established in the leaks community but has managed to provide accurate info in the past. The leaker now claims that Apple will ship high-refresh-rate displays in the baseline models for the first time with iPhone 14 series. He claims that iPhone 14 will come with support for the ProMotion. In a series of tweets, Sam mentions that the bigger iPhone 14 Max would come with a 90Hz display while the smaller vanilla iPhone 14 model could feature up to a 120Hz display. According to the leaker, Apple still hasn't decided on the refresh rate (between 90Hz and 120Hz) for the vanilla iPhone 14 model, but it would definitely be higher than the 60Hz found on the previous generation iPhones.

Is ProMotion support that big of a deal?

iOS 15 message bug iPhone 13

Source: Pocketnow Video

This change could prove to be a significant one over the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini. Support for a 120Hz refresh rate means that even the baseline iPhone model will offer smoother scrolling and overall better graphics. Support for ProMotion was one of the major differentiating factors between the Pro and non-Pro iPhone models last year. However, it looks like it wouldn't be the case this year.

Other manufacturers, such as Google and Samsung, offer high refresh rate displays across all the smartphones of their latest flagship lineup. It's one of the reasons why many people choose Samsung's and Google's Android smartphones over Apple iPhones nowadays. But now, it seems that Apple is ready to adopt this tactic for the iPhone 14. A 90Hz display would make customers feel like they're getting extra for their money, especially if the company is sticking with old internals for the lower-end models.

Apple also has a habit of selling previous-generation iPhone models for a lower price when the newer one launches. For example, the company continues to sell iPhone 12 (for $100 less than its launch price) even though iPhone 13 series is now available. Should Apple continue to sell iPhone 13 when iPhone 14 launches, the support for the ProMotion display could force a lot of customers to choose the newer (and costlier) iPhone 14 models.

Unfortunately, the leak about the ProMotion display on the iPhone 14 and 14 Max is not a widespread rumor and has not been confirmed by any of the established leakers yet. @Shadow_Leak is the only leaker to say anything about it, but if Apple manages to pull this off, the iPhone 14 and 14 Max could prove to be a much more exciting upgrade than they appear.

Will the addition of the ProMotion display to the baseline iPhone 14 models urge you to upgrade? Let us know in the comments section below!

iPhone 13 in Black
Apple iPhone 13

The iPhone 13 is the default smartphone from Apple for 2021. If you're looking for an experience that remains fast and fluid over years to come and not lacking on any hardware front, this is the device to get.