Apple's iPhone 17 Base Models Could Finally Get This Highly Requested 'Pro' Feature

2 Kas 202407:04 UTC

Apple Inc. AAPL is set to equip its entire iPhone 17 lineup with LTPO panels, exclusively sourced from Samsung Display and LG Display.

What Happened: The forthcoming iPhone 17 series, expected to launch next year, will consist of four models: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Slim (or Air), iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

This marks a notable change from the iPhone 16 series, where only the Pro and Pro Max models featured LTPO panels, according to a report by ETNews.

LTPO technology, renowned for its energy efficiency, will now be standard across all iPhone 17 models, enhancing overall performance. This will also allow Apple to offer high refresh rates, a feature that has so far been limited to the "Pro" iPhone models.

Previously, only the premium models utilized LTPO OLEDs, while standard models relied on LTPS panels.

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The inclusion of LTPO in all iPhone 17 models is expected to solidify the dominance of Korean display companies in supplying OLED panels for Apple’s latest series. The complexity of LTPO technology poses a significant challenge for Chinese firms, which have faced quality issues in LTPS panel production.

Industry insiders suggest that the likelihood of Chinese companies supplying LTPO panels next year is nearly zero. Instead, these companies may focus on producing panels for the upcoming iPhone SE4, expected in the first half of the year.

Why It Matters: The shift to LTPO panels across the entire iPhone 17 lineup is part of Apple’s strategy to enhance its product offerings.

According to noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature 12GB DRAM, with other models like the ultra-thin iPhone, iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and SE4 having 8GB. Enhanced AI capabilities are expected to be a major selling point for the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Additionally, Apple’s iPhone 17 Air is rumored to have a sleeker design, potentially attracting more customers to upgrade their devices.

Gene Munster, managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, believes that Apple’s biggest iPhone upgrade cycles have coincided with noticeable design changes, suggesting that the thinner iPhone could be a successful hardware refresh for the company.

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