Tech leaker Max Weinbach shared via his YouTube channel “EverythingApplePro” that, while nothing is official, the iPhone 13 will have an always-on OLED screen with refresh rate of 120Hz (ProMotion).
Weinbach called the always=on display a “toned down lock screen” that will offer minimal customization. The clock and battery charge will always be visible and notifications will temporarily pop up when they arrive, he said.
The 120Hz refresh rate might be limited to the iPhone 13 Pro models.
In addition to the new screen tech, Weinbach detailed a few camera upgrades as well. Portrait mode will supposedly be available for videos. When taking still pictures, Portrait mode blurs the background of your image. The newest iPhones will apparently be able to maintain this focus on a moving subject in video form.
The camera will also have a mode dedicated to astrophotography, so you’ll be able to take great pics of the stars.
MacDailyNews Take: There was an iOS 13, so we expect Apple won’t get superstitious and skip right over “iPhone 13” on the way to “14” à la the mythical “iPhone 9.” Hopefully, they’ll spare us the self-defeating “iPhone 12s” moniker as an always-on ProMotion display would be a big jump in and of itself.
Astrophotography? How will they do that? Small, wide lenses and no tripod normally make phone cameras terrible for astrophotography.
Use iPhone’s computational power to enhance image… Maybe iPhone takes a series of images (like when tap-holding on shutter button for a few seconds). Then, images are processed to create an enhanced single image that best accounts for blur on source images. Large modern earth-bound telescopes use computational power to account for atmospheric interference. Portrait mode isn’t a true photo; part of it is CG. This “Astro-mode” would also be partly CG.
So long as I can shut off the whole thing when I want. Oh, and have TouchID return please.
We’re no better when tech is always on, always present. In actuality, is a degrading distraction.
What’s the imperative?
Copycat of Samsung phones that had this feature for YEARS…
They better have improved the battery stats lest the usual lamentations regarding battery life come back louder.
Absolutely, an always on screen will draw more power than an off screen. That’s just reality.
A 120 Hz refresh rate screen will draw more power than a 60 Hz refresh rate screen. That’s just reality.
Unless Apple makes significant steps forward with the screen technology or significant steps forward with battery technology, I don’t see either of these things happening.
Right now an always on screen or a 120 Hz screen are only of interest to those who look at feature lists and compare/buy based upon feature lists and not about true functionality.
Come on, they’re not that far ahead. They’ve still got everyone working on new emojis
The screen will be like me, always on.