iPhone 13 to get longer battery life thanks to Galaxy S21-beating OLED screen tech

Apple's iPhone 13 Pro models set for new OLED display tech that will give battery life a boost!

iPhone 12 Pro
(Image credit: Future)

Apple's iPhone 12 series has now launched in full, with all four models out in the wild. 

None of them managed to ship with 120Hz displays, sporting 60Hz panels instead, but it looks like the iPhone 13 Pro models will not only boast a 120Hz refresh rate, but will finally catch up with Samsung and offer variable refresh rates thanks to new screen tech.

Korean site The Elec reports that Apple is switching to LG Display's low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LPTO) thin-film transistors (TFT) for its premium iPhone 13 models next year, rather than sticking with the current bog-standard OLED panels. 

The Apple patented technology  is already present in the Samsung Galaxy S20 range, and allows for a smarter, more energy efficient display that can switch between 1Hz and 120Hz depending on what the phone's being used for. 

This seems to solidify rumors from last month from analyst Ross Young, who says that the 120Hz Pro Motion panel with variable refresh rate will come to the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max models in 2021. 

Both the Apple Watch Series 5 and Apple Watch Series 6 boast LTPO displays, bumping up the battery life despite the always-on screen, so it'll be a welcome benefit for the next iPhone.

The iPhone 13 is also set for a sizeable upgrade in the storage department, reportedly sporting 1TB – that's more than the PS5!

Next year's Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is reportedly touting a 120Hz AMOLED LTPO panel, but unlike the S20 Ultra and Note 20 Ultra, the latest leak suggests users won't have to choose between WQHD resolution at 60Hz and FHD+ at 120Hz this time around. 

We'll have to wait and see if the iPhone 13 can pull it out of the bag to give the Galaxy S21 a run for its money.

Source: The Elec

Shabana Arif

Shabana worked at T3.com as News Editor covering tech and gaming, and has been writing about video games for almost a decade (and playing them since forever). She's had bylines at major gaming sites during her freelance career before settling down here at T3, and has podcasts, streaming, and video content under her belt to boot. Outside of work, she also plays video games and should really think about expanding her hobbies. If you have any tech or gaming tips, shoot over an email or DM her on social media.