According to recent rumors, Apple is working on a 90Hz screen technology for various devices. The displays could possibly be added to the iPad Air, iMac and Studio Display.
At the moment, only the Pro models have a screen with a higher refresh rate of 120Hz, all other devices use a 60Hz screen. Apple may want to improve this in the future, and it’s about time.
Refresh rate of a screen
Every screen has a certain refresh rate, also called a refresh rate, and indicates how often the pixels in the screen can be refreshed per second. This is expressed in hertz (Hz). A standard LCD screen has a refresh rate of 60Hz. This ensures smooth images, but can sometimes be uneasy for the eye.
For this reason, there are now more and more screens on the market with a higher refresh rate. For example, Apple uses a ProMotion display with a refresh rate of 120Hz for the iPad Pro, MacBook Pro and iPhone Pro.
The screen is therefore rebuilt twice as many times with a maximum of 120 images per second. The visual result of this is that all moving elements move much more smoothly across the screen and it becomes calmer for your eyes.
90Hz for mid-range
An anonymous source has contacted Myke Hurley and Jason Snell of the Upgrade podcast. The source reports that Apple is currently developing a 90Hz screen for use in the iPad Air, iMac and Studio Display. All good devices that fall in the range between entry-level models and premium devices. For that reason, Apple would like to give the screen a boost.
First iPad Air
Currently, the iPad Air, 24-inch iMac and Studio Display all have displays with 60Hz refresh rates. The rumor suggests that the 90Hz panel will first appear on the M3 iPad Air and will eventually make its way to the 24-inch iMac and Studio Display. According to Bloomberg, the next generation iPad Air is expected to debut in early 2025.
What about the iPhone?
Only the iPhone Pro models have a 120Hz screen, the other devices have a refresh rate of 60Hz. Still, we will go to reportedly From the iPhone 17 onwards, all models will be equipped with a ProMotion screen with support for 120 Hz refresh rates, according to reliable screen analyst Ross Young.