It’s been widely rumored that next year Apple will launch a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max in place of an iPhone 14 mini. This would basically be a big-screen iPhone without the ‘Pro’ credentials, yet in one way it might get surprisingly close to the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
According to The Elec, Apple hasn’t decided whether to equip the iPhone 14 Max with a 60Hz screen or a 120Hz one. The former is what we expected – after all, only the Pro models in the iPhone 13 range have 120Hz displays, and splitting the phones like that makes it easier to differentiate between the cheaper and pricier models.
Plus, it’s been specifically rumored that the standard iPhone 14 will have a 60Hz display, so it would make sense for the iPhone 14 Max to as well, but that might not be the case.
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The Elec claims that while the standard iPhone 14 will indeed have a 60Hz screen, and the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models will have 120Hz displays, the iPhone 14 Max could go either way.
Apple will apparently make a decision based on the screen pricing offered by LG Display and BOE – two of the companies that it currently gets displays from. If LG is capable of building an OLED screen with a 120Hz variable refresh rate and if the price is right, then Apple will probably go with that. If not, then it will probably go for a 60Hz screen from BOE.
The big name not in the mix here is Samsung Display, which has so far been the sole provider of 120Hz screens to Apple, as it’s been the only company able to mass produce them using LTPO technology (necessary for a variable refresh rate).
However, The Elec claims that LG Display will likely be capable of this from next year, so Apple is seemingly waiting to see if that pans out – and to see how much LG Display will charge.
Samsung seemingly isn’t an option for the iPhone 14 Max’s screen, as Apple doesn’t want to be overly reliant on one manufacturer. So it’s apparently LG and 120Hz or BOE and 60Hz.
Analysis: we’d still bet on 60Hz
While this is promising news for the iPhone 14 Max, we doubt Apple will ultimately equip it with a 120Hz display.
If this report is accurate, then both the tech and price need to be right for Apple to go with a 120Hz option, and there seems to be uncertainty around both currently.
But beyond that, a 60Hz screen simply makes more sense assuming the standard iPhone 14 will have a 60Hz display.
Then again, with Apple rumored to be completely changing the design of the Pro models, the top handsets shouldn’t have any trouble standing out even if you can get a 120Hz screen on a cheaper iPhone, so a 120Hz iPhone 14 Max – and even a 120Hz iPhone 14 – is certainly possible.
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Via GizmoChina
