Tomorrow We May See the iPhone 17 Debut With a Lengthy-Overdue Replace

Apple’s “Awe Dropping” iPhone 17 occasion is Tuesday and we anticipate to see new fashions of the iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods. As we inch nearer to Tim Cook beginning the keynote, rumors and leaks in regards to the iPhone 17 are nonetheless coming in. We’ve seen reviews of a new selfie camera, sooner MagSafe charging and a brand new purple (or inexperienced) coloration.

But when the iPhone 16 debuted, there was criticism aimed toward its display. The cellphone begins at $829 and nonetheless has a 60Hz show, regardless of most telephones from opponents having high-refresh-rate screens topping off at 90Hz or 120Hz, which provides a smoother scrolling impact that simply appears to be like premium. Given that Pro fashions have had increased display refresh charges for years, it has been irritating to see Apple not convey the characteristic to lower-end fashions.

At a time when Apple is underneath strain from a US Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit; dealing with criticism from shareholders and media about being “behind in the AI race” with Apple Intelligence; and coping with threats from President Donald Trump about including a tariff to the iPhone if manufacturing is not relocated to the US, the corporate’s subsequent iPhone launch will likely be a pivotal second. 

The burden is on Apple to ship an thrilling iPhone 17 lineup that features massive adjustments to the iPhone Pro fashions in addition to a brand new iPhone Air model. But the “regular” base iPhone is due for some TLC, particularly its show. Fortunately, there are three rumors circulating that time to the iPhone 17’s display coming with a large replace. Taken collectively, they counsel the display on the iPhone 17 could possibly be one of many largest updates to a base iPhone show in a very long time.

Apple hasn’t introduced something but or confirmed any of those rumors. And we can’t know what’s what for sure till the following iPhone is formally launched. For extra leaks, try CNET’s iPhone 17 rumor roundup.

The iPhone 17’s high-refresh-rate show (120Hz)

In 2018, the Razer Phone debuted with the first-ever high-refresh-rate show. Other telephones on the time had screens locked at a static 60Hz. The Razer Phone was aimed toward players, and having a display with a excessive refresh fee made gameplay look extra immersive. It additionally made mundane issues, like system animations or scrolling a social or information feed, look easy and dynamic.

In 2025, almost each main cellphone, together with low cost ones costing lower than $300, has a 90Hz or 120Hz display — properly, besides the iPhone. Apple first added Pro Motion shows (its identify for a high-refresh-rate display) in 2021, to the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max. But non-Pro fashions nonetheless have a static 60Hz show to this present day. That ought to change quickly.

The iPhone 17 can have a high-refresh-rate display, in keeping with a report from 9to5Mac. The story cites an X publish from Young that is since been taken down. It’s unclear if the display will likely be an identical to the one on the iPhone 16 Pro or if it will be one thing totally different. But if the iPhone 17 will get an LTPO display with an adaptive refresh fee (with 1 to 120Hz), that would additionally imply the “regular” base iPhone 17 will get help for an always-on show. That latter characteristic debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, and is absent from the bottom iPhone 15 and that iPhone 16.

The iPhone 17’s 6.3-inch show

The common iPhone, relationship again to the iPhone 12, has had a 6.1-inch display. The iPhone 16 has one regardless of the iPhone 16 Pro rocking a 6.3-inch show. But the iPhone 17 will get an analogous 6.3-inch show, in keeping with a post on X from supply-chain analyst Ross Young. This is dangerous information for small-phone followers, although 6.1 inches was already properly past the 5.4-inch display discovered on the iPhone 12 Mini and 13 Mini.

If the elevated display actual property comes from shrinking the bezels across the show, like Apple did with the iPhone 16 Pro, it ought to imply that the iPhone 17 itself will likely be comparatively the identical dimension because the iPhone 16.

The iPhone 17’s new Ceramic Shield

One of the sleeper additions on the iPhone 16 Pro was that it acquired an up to date Ceramic Shield (the 16 and 16 Plus did not). Just as a reminder, Ceramic Shield is not simply glass in that it is composed of nano ceramic crystals embedded in a glass matrix. In my long-term overview for the 16 Pro, I discovered that the up to date Ceramic Shield was almost unscathed after seven months of use, particularly in contrast with my iPhone 15 Pro Max, which had the unique model of Ceramic Shield and was coated in scratches after the identical period of time.

The iPhone 17 may get a extra scratch resistant show, in keeping with a post from Weibo person Instant Digital. It feels like this is likely to be totally different from Ceramic Shield in that it may even have an antireflective coating, much like the one on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. MacRumors first reported on the rumor and likewise hedged it, saying the brand new coating could’ve been scrapped as a result of it proved too difficult to use at scale.

I doubt the iPhone 17 will get an antireflective display, however I’d love if it did. I can nonetheless hope, although, that its display comes with a extra sturdy show.