iPhone 12 MISSING this essential feature to go up against Galaxy Note 20

Apple's lineup of iPhone 12 models will be lagging behind the competition in this key area

iPhone 12 concept
(Image credit: ConceptsiPhone)

Apple is all set to launch the iPhone 12 in October - a delayed launch which the company had confirmed, although the reveal event may still go ahead in September as planned. 

The flagship smartphone will be available in four models, with the cheapest being the iPhone 12, and the Pro models being the most pricey - with the specs to match; but it appears that one of the key features rumoured for the device won't be making an appearance after all, putting the iPhone 12 series of handsets behind its Android competition, like the Galaxy Note 20 range. 

A few months back, we heard that Apple would be making a distinction between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro models on the specs front to separate its premium offering from the more basic and affordable smartphones. 

As well as differences in size, with the cheapest iPhone 12 coming in at 5.4-inches, the iPhone 12 Max and iPhone 12 Pro handsets both measuring 6.1-inches, and the top tier iPhone 12 Pro Max ruling the roost at a generous 6.7-inches, we heard reports of a 120Hz refresh rate for the Pro variants, setting the more expensive offerings in the range apart from their cheaper siblings. 

Last month, a leak suggested that this wouldn't be the case after all - and that none of Apple's upcoming smartphones would sport the key feature. Now this appears to be confirmed by industry insiders. 

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Twitter leaker Ross Young, who broke the bad news initially, has stated that none of his sources can corroborate the existence of a 120Hz display on any of the iPhone 12 models. Young says this is down to the lack of hardware support, meaning it's impossible for the iPhones to achieve.

That means that anyone hoping to upgrade from the iPhone 11 or iPhone 11 Pro will once again find themselves stuck with a 60Hz display, while rival Android smartphones boast displays of 90Hz at least - even the budget OnePlus Nord can manage that.  

This is just another blow for Apple's iPhone 12, which will also be missing out on the newly announced Project xCloud - Microsoft's game streaming service - thanks to the rules and regulations of the App Store. Meanwhile, Samsung has the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra with its premium specs, optimised for xCloud gaming - it even has a dedicated Xbox Game Pass app in the Galaxy Store offering perks and benefits that aren't available in the Google Play Store. As it stands, iPhone users may want to reconsider whether or not they want to stay in Apple's ecosystem as the Android competition leaves it in the dust. 

Source: TechRadar

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.