The iPhone 12 could have a 120Hz display for smoother scrolling.
Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET
This story is part of Apple Event, our full coverage of the latest news from Apple headquarters.
On Tuesday Oct. 13, Apple is holding a virtual event where we’re expecting to get a first look at the iPhone 12. While there have been tons of credible rumors about the new phone’s price, specs and potential 5G capabilities, one of the more interesting potential features we’ve heard about is a 120Hz screen refresh rate — double that of the iPhone 11. The number of hertz a phone screen is able to display refers to the number of frames per second, determining how fast and smooth the phone screen feels when you’re scrolling through apps and webpages and how smooth supported games feel.
Read more: All the iPhone 12 rumors you need to know
It’s rumored that there will be four iPhone 12 models launched on Tuesday: the iPhone 12 Mini (5.4-inch), the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro (6.1-inch), and the iPhone 12 Pro Max (6.7-inch). Some reports say that the iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max will have a 120Hz refresh rate, while the base iPhone 12 will have a 60Hz refresh rate.
Most phones — including the iPhone 11 — have a 60Hz refresh rate. But some higher-end models, including the Samsung Galaxy S20 and the OnePlus 8 Pro, have a rate of 120Hz, so it’s not a surprise that Apple would add that to its repertoire.
The iPhone 12 Pro models are also rumored to have Apple’s proprietary ProMotion display, which you can find in iPad Pro models. This technology dynamically adjusts the display to how content moves for more responsive, fluid scrolling.
Of course, we won’t know anything for sure until the rumored iPhone 12 models are unveiled on Tuesday (here’s how to watch the Apple Event live). For more, check out how to prepare your current phone before upgrading to the iPhone 12 and everything else we might see Apple announce at its virtual event.
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