iPhone Could Inherit Apple Watch Series 10's Power Efficient Display

Apple could use the LTP03 display technology that debuted in the Apple Watch Series 10 to improve power efficiency and display performance in future iPhone models, industry watchers believe (via The Elec).

Apple Watch Series 10 Jet Black
LTPO refers to a TFT panel that adds oxide to a Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon (LTPS) TFT, which reduces power consumption at low refresh rates. Apple applied the name "LTPO3" to the OLED displays used in the recently released Apple Watch 10 series to differentiate it from the LTPO2 displays currently used in Apple Watch Series 9 and iPhone 16 Pro models, as it replaces the drive TFT (thin-film transistor) with a more efficient oxide-based version.

The technology enables Apple to optimize each pixel to emit more light at wider angles. As a result, the Apple Watch Series 10 display is up to 40 percent brighter than Series 9 when viewed off-axis. LPTO3 also enables a faster refresh rate when the Apple Watch is in always-on mode, going from once a minute to once a second. This means users can now see a ticking seconds hand without raising their wrist on select watch faces.

Given that the drive TFT directly controls the current that makes the OLED pixels emit light, future iPhones with LTPO3 could see meaningful improvements in battery life and viewing angles. Industry sources indicate that Samsung Display is preparing to develop LTPO3 OLED panels that could potentially be for future iPhone models. However, next year's iPhone 17 series is expected to continue using LTPO2 technology while expanding its adoption across all models, not just the Pro devices.

Apple has historically tested new display technologies in the Apple Watch before bringing them to the iPhone. For example, the original LTPO displays that debuted in the Apple Watch Series 4 eventually appeared in iPhone 13 Pro models three years later. If and when LPTO3 could make its way to the iPhone, however, remains unclear at this time.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iphone 17 dummies sonny dickson

iPhone 17 Air Almost as Thin as Its Buttons, New Images Show

Thursday April 24, 2025 2:14 am PDT by
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker ...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 17 air dummy unbox therapy

iPhone 17 Air's Extreme Thinness Demoed in New Video

Tuesday April 22, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
Global Close Your Rings Day Pin

Apple Stores Giving Away a Limited-Edition Pin For Free Today

Thursday April 24, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Starting today, April 24, Apple Stores around the world are giving away a special pin for free to customers who request one, while supplies last. Photo Credit: Filip Chudzinski The enamel pin's design is inspired by the Global Close Your Rings Day award in the Activity app, which Apple Watch users can receive by closing all three Activity rings today. The limited-edition pin is the physical...
Apple Logo Spotlight Blue

White House Hits Back at Apple's Massive EU Fine

Thursday April 24, 2025 5:57 am PDT by
Apple's $570 million fine from the EU has triggered a sharp rebuke from the White House, which called the fine a form of economic extortion, Reuters reports. The fine was announced on Wednesday by the European Commission, following a formal investigation into Apple's compliance with the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark piece of legislation aimed at curbing the market dominance of ...
ipad air magic keyboard feature

iPadOS 19 Rumored to Show Mac-Like Menu Bar When Connected to Magic Keyboard

Thursday April 24, 2025 12:09 pm PDT by
When an iPad running iPadOS 19 is connected to a Magic Keyboard, a macOS-like menu bar will appear on the screen, according to the leaker Majin Bu. This change would further blur the lines between the iPad and the Mac. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously claimed that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS," with unspecified improvements to productivity, multitasking, and app window management,...

Top Rated Comments

Paddle1 Avatar
26 weeks ago
Cool. Maybe if we're lucky the standard models can have it by iPhone 20.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
orbital~debris Avatar
26 weeks ago

Apple has historically tested new display technologies in the Apple Watch before bringing them to the iPhone. For example, the original LTPO displays that debuted in the Apple Watch Series 4 eventually appeared in the iPhone 13 Pro series three years later. If and when LPTO3 could make its way to the iPhone, however, remains unclear at this time.
'Cross-pollination' of technologies is one of Apple's biggest strengths, and one they consistently employ to great effect in both hardware and software.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
russell_314 Avatar
26 weeks ago

It would be great if this technology would come to all iPhones and not just the Pro line.
The main purpose of the regular iPhone is to make it more affordable. If Apple put all the technology from the Pro into the regular iPhone, it would be the same iPhone with the same price. What’s the point of having a Pro if it has the same features and price of the regular iPhone?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Seanm87 Avatar
26 weeks ago

We AppleHeads don't need a better display. We need a better battery. And so does everyone else.
My 16 pro max battery is amazing
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
antonrg Avatar
26 weeks ago
It would be great if this technology would come to all iPhones and not just the Pro line.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
m4mario Avatar
26 weeks ago
We can be absolutely sure that it will come to other products. If it doesn't, that because there was better tech available.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)