Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 5 this year and it was the first Apple Watch to feature an Always-On display. This was made possible due to the LTPO or Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide display used in the smartwatch. It is a less power consuming display that can have its refresh rate set as low as 1Hz to save battery.
The LTPO display enabled the Apple Watch Series 5 to have a battery life of 18 hours even with the Always-On display feature turned on. After the success of the LTPO display technology in Apple watches, Apple may be bringing the technology to the next generation of iPhones according to a report from The Elec, a Korean tech news website.
LTPO Display Rumored to be Used in Apple iPhones
If Apple decides to use the LTPO technology for their iPhones, they would need to find a way to integrate it with the existing OLED displays that are supplied by Samsung. The report also mentioned that Samsung is making leaps in the OLED sector with technological prowess as well as higher production capacity than market competitors.
Interestingly, the OLED technology was first introduced on the Apple Watch before it was first used in the iPhone X. Apple might be following a similar route with the LTPO display by first testing it on the Apple Watch Series 5 and then bringing it to future iPhones.
Benefits of LTPO Displays
LTPO displays or Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide displays feature an oxide with TFT structure, which consumes less power and is hence also called LTPS (Low-Temperature Poly Silicon). It will result in a significant increase in battery life for the next generation of iPhones.
The Apple Watch Series 5 that featured the LTPO display had a brightness level of up to 1000 nits, which is close to the 1200 nits maximum brightness in the iPhone 11’sSuper Retina XDR display. The inclusion of LTPO displays in iPhones will also enable iPhones to have Always On displays like the Apple Watch Series 5.