ProMotion is one of the standout features of the new iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max. Although it is not a new technology in the Apple world, until recently it was reserved for iPad Pro only. Consequently, its arrival to the new smartphones has caused a lot of expectation.
Manzana describes to ProMotion as a solution offering screen refresh rates up to 120 Hz for smoother, more natural scrolling, greater responsiveness and lower power consumption thanks to the automatic adjustment of the refresh rate based on the content displayed.
This definition is fine, but we are going to put it in context to understand the details of ProMotion and why it is so important that it arrives at the new iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max, although rival terminals also have similar solutions for some time.
Apple’s ProMotion display technology has two pillars: screen refresh rate, also known as the refreshment rate, and the adaptive update technology.
The new iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max take a huge leap and double the refresh rate of their predecessors. That is, instead of refreshing the content displayed on the screen 60 times per second (60 Hz), now they do it 120 times per second (120 Hz). This gives a pleasant sensation to the human eye.
But it’s not just about the visuals. The ProMotion screens of the new iPhones too reduce the lag and improve responsiveness. In other words, this technology, accompanied by the power of the aforementioned devices, make everything work very fast and smooth.
However, a constant refresh rate at 120 Hz is not the best friend of the battery. This is precisely where the other component of ProMotion comes into play: adaptive update technology, which updates the screen parameters based on the content displayed.
If the user is reading a web page or viewing static content, iOS will take care of reducing the screen refresh rate. On the other hand, if you are watching a video or enjoying a game, the system’s algorithm will take care of raising the refresh rate.
Apple first introduced ProMotion on the iPad Pro to, among other things, enhance the Apple Pencil experience. With this feature he made it easier to draw and write on the screen by reducing the lag. However, this peripheral is not compatible with the new iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max.
Currently there are many smartphones that already have a screen with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. For example, the entire new Samsung Galaxy S21 line, the Z Fold 2 and 3, various Realme models, including the Note 10 Pro and Pro Max, the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro, among others.