Next iPhone/iPad Pro to have a variable refresh rate of up to 240Hz? Apple’s patent says so

Pocketnow

By Prakhar Khanna

Published Feb 17, 2021

This patent isn't limited to the iPhones but could be extended to other Apple devices including the iPad Pro series.

Rumors surrounding the next iPhone have already started trickling in despite the iPhone 12 being launch just a few months back. From a smaller notch to the return of TouchID, we’ve heard it all in the past few weeks. Now, it is tipped that the upcoming iPhone 13 could feature a variable refresh rate of up to 240Hz. This is surprising since Apple’s ProMotion technology that is found on the iPad Pro is limited to 120Hz.

The latest development comes from a patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (via Patently Apple). It describes an iPhone display, which could have high refresh mode enabled. It might be capable of updating content two times, three times, or even four times the native refresh rate.

60Hz, 120Hz, 180Hz, 240Hz

The refresh rate on the next Apple devices is said to range from 60Hz to 240Hz with 120Hz and 180Hz options also available. Notably, Xiaomi and Samsung are the only companies as of now that provide a variable refresh rate on their smartphones. It ranges from 24Hz to 120Hz.

It should be noted that a patent doesn’t necessarily mean that the feature will surely come to the next range of devices. However, it does suggest what the company is planning to do next. And, as of now, rumors have only been pointing towards the presence of a 120Hz refresh rate on the next iPhone lineup. Moreover, this patent isn’t limited to the iPhones but could be extended to other Apple devices including the iPad Pro series. Hence, we could get an Apple iPad Pro with a 240Hz variable refresh rate.

Earlier rumors have suggested that Apple is working on bringing a 120Hz refresh rate to the OLED displays of the top 2 models of its next iPhone lineup. According to the past reports, you can expect: