When iPhone 17 Gets ProMotion, I’m Finally Upgrading My iPhone 12

Back in 2020, I swapped my old Pixel 3 for a shiny new iPhone 12. Fast forward nearly five years, and guess what? I’m still rocking that same iPhone 12. It works perfectly fine, but there’s one key feature I’ve been desperately waiting for on a standard iPhone: ProMotion. For those unfamiliar, ‘ProMotion’ is Apple’s fancy term for a high-refresh rate display, and it’s a game-changer.

Apple first rolled out ProMotion with the iPhone 13 Pro. Since then, every ‘Pro’ iPhone has boasted a super smooth 120Hz refresh rate display, capable of scaling down to just 1Hz for efficient always-on functionality. This isn’t just a spec sheet boast; it genuinely makes everything from scrolling through social media to intense gaming feel incredibly fluid and responsive. Here’s the kicker: most Android manufacturers now include high refresh rate screens even on their budget phones. Yet, if you want it on an iPhone, you still have to fork over a grand or more for a Pro model.

To me, that’s a significant misstep for Apple. I almost upgraded in 2023 with the iPhone 15. It was exciting to see the Dynamic Island (a feature first seen on the iPhone 14 Pro) finally make its way to the standard model, along with a better camera and the convenience of USB-C charging. But even with all those improvements, I couldn’t pull the trigger. Why? No ProMotion. It simply wasn’t enough to convince me to leave my trusty iPhone 12 behind. And I bet I’m not alone in holding out for this exact reason.

Apple’s ‘trickle-down’ approach, where premium features slowly make their way to standard models, feels painfully slow compared to its rivals. Back in 2022, display analyst Ross Young accurately predicted the iPhone 15 would get the Dynamic Island but also suggested ProMotion wouldn’t hit regular iPhones until 2024 at the earliest. His reasoning? Supply chain limitations for Apple’s more affordable devices. I’m skeptical, though. In 2020, the same year my $799 iPhone 12 came out, Google launched the $700 Pixel 5 – complete with a 90Hz OLED display. It makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

But it looks like my patience might finally pay off! Rumors suggest that all four iPhone 17 models set for 2025 – the standard iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, and the new iPhone 17 Air – will *finally* feature 120Hz displays. If these reports are true, 2025 is definitely my upgrade year. However, it also makes me curious about what this means for the future direction of the entire iPhone lineup.

Honestly, my gut tells me Apple’s reluctance to add ProMotion to standard iPhones had less to do with supply chain issues and more to do with creating a clear incentive to splurge on the Pro models. If these iPhone 17 rumors are accurate, and ProMotion becomes standard, it leaves the ‘Pro’ line in a bit of a tricky spot. With that key differentiator gone, and whispers of the Pro and Pro Max even reverting to aluminum, what’s truly left to justify the higher price tag? Beyond a telephoto camera or a larger screen on the Max, the unique selling points dwindle significantly.

This leads me to wonder if we might be seeing the swan song of the iPhone Pro as we know it. During a recent chat with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman on the Engadget podcast, he shared that Apple reportedly plans to go ‘all in’ on the iPhone Air. Initially, it might debut with limitations like a single camera or reduced battery life. But Gurman indicated that Apple believes it can miniaturize these components over time, eventually making the Air just as capable as its current flagship devices.

So, while the iPhone Air might seem like a niche concept now, it’s not hard to imagine it evolving into Apple’s primary flagship down the line. Perhaps it’s just wishful thinking on my part, but I’m holding out hope for a future where the Air and the standard iPhone offer a similar suite of features, with the ‘Air’ premium simply being for a more refined, sleeker design. One can dream, right?