Yes, the screen technology of the iPhone 13 Pro and some Android is the same, but the way to use it is quite different.
For many years there has been rumor about the arrival of the screens with a refresh rate of 120 Hz to iPhones, and finally in 2021 Apple has introduced them in its iPhone 13 Pro. But not only that, the OLED screen of the iPhone 13 Pro is capable of varying its refresh rate between 10 and 120 Hz.
This allows the device both to give a more fluid experience by increasing the refresh rate, as well as to save battery when you’re displaying content that doesn’t need a high refresh rate. This type of screens with frame rate Adaptive devices have been available on Android smartphones for a long time, however the way they work is not the same at all.
As is often the case every time Apple implements a technology that is already in the competition, the apple company manages to introduce it in a much superior way take advantage of all the benefits it offers. Something that contrasts with many other manufacturers that introduce these types of improvements without taking full advantage of them, simply by having them.
Differences between the 120 Hz of the iPhone and Android
In a complete Twitter thread, our colleague Ricardo Aguilar explained how each operating system manages the screen refresh rate, being very different on iOS and Android. You have attached all the tests you have done to draw your conclusions.
It has been two days of testing, but I finally have the information I needed (and that I sensed). I’m going to explain why Apple’s adaptive 120Hz has NOTHING to do with Android’s. One more example of “that was already in Android” that goes wrong.
– Ricardo Aguilar (@MrBrickerr) September 25, 2021
During the presentation of the iPhone 13 Pro, Apple showed off how the adaptive display was able to change the refresh rate between 10 and 120 Hz depending on what the iPhone was showing.
If you are watching a video at 30 frames per second, the refresh rate drops to 30 Hz, if you are on the lock screen or home of an app, the screen will go down to 10 Hz to consume less, and if the game is running at 60 fps, the rate will adapt to that frequency.
But who is the one who decides what refresh rate the screen adjusts to? Here is the big difference. While on the iPhone it is the operating system that is responsible for adjusting the refresh rate at all times, even analyzing apps, on Android they are the applications themselves those who are in charge of doing it.
That is to say, it is the app developer who must program it so that the screen responds to a certain refresh rate, and the normal thing is that the majority of developers choose two options: 60 and 120 Hz, perhaps only the most important strive to put more options.
Apple even analyzes the content of the app. That is, if you open a game on Android, it will go up to 120Hz all the time.
In iOS you will be at 30Hz in the main menu if you do not touch the panel, at 60Hz if there is a kinematics. You will only be at 120Hz when playing games.
Applicable to all apps.– Ricardo Aguilar (@MrBrickerr) September 25, 2021
What does this mean? That as much as Android has adaptive screens between 10 and 120 Hz like the iPhone 13 Pro, most of the time users will not enjoy the improvements they offer. They may be watching video recorded at 30 fps and the screen is running at 60 or 120 Hz for no reason and wasting more power.
For that reason, the iPhone 13 Pro have improved their battery life so much, because much of the time the display is operating below 60 Hz, and consuming much less battery.
This contrasts with Android devices, which since this technology was implemented with Displays up to 120Hz use more battery power than they should, causing many users to choose to disable this option.
Again Apple has hit the key again. It’s not just having the screen technology itself, it is also to have a software that handles this new technology so that it truly represents an improvement for the user. And the Pro Motion screen of the new iPhone 13 Pro is a new example.
Related topics: iPhone
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