If we combine all the rumors we’ve heard so far about the iPhone 17, it looks like the entire lineup will be equipped with top-quality displays — rather than just the Pro models.
In contrast, if you buy an iPhone 16 right now, the type of display you get will depend on the model you choose. The Pro gets you a larger, Always-On display with ProMotion technology and an M14 OLED panel from Samsung, made with super high-quality materials.
Buy a non-pro iPhone 16 and you get a smaller display without Always-On or ProMotion, and the OLED panel is made with lower-quality M12 materials.
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Older rumors have already suggested the entire iPhone 17 lineup will get the Always-On displays and the ProMotion tech that enables a 120Hz refresh rate — and now, a new report from Korean outlet ETNews suggests that all models will get the superior M14 OLED panels as well.
The report claims that Samsung will supply M14 OLED panels for all four iPhone 17 models (this includes the new slim model possibly dubbed the iPhone Air). This is interesting not because it means the more affordable models will get better displays, but because it means they will get the same displays as the Pro models.
If that’s the case, then the only big differences between the base and Pro models this generation would be the internal tech and the cameras. This could be a good move, since display tech and features like Always-On are some of the most compelling and easy-to-sell features of an iPhone — simply because they’re obvious and visible upgrades. Keeping them limited to Pro models for the 16 likely discouraged some base model buyers from upgrading because they knew they’d miss out on the exciting stuff.
We’ll have to wait to find out if these reports are true, but I definitely have my fingers crossed. I’m a base model buyer myself, and I want that Always-On tech.
