Apple’s ProMotion Display Technology: A Complete Guide

Key Takeaways: Apple’s ProMotion Display Technology

• Introduction of ProMotion: Apple’s proprietary display technology, ProMotion, was first introduced with the iPad Pro in 2017.
• Understanding Refresh Rates: ProMotion can dynamically adjust the display’s refresh rate up to 120Hz, resulting in smoother visuals and enhanced touch responsiveness.
• Dynamic Adaptability: Unlike constant high-refresh-rate displays, ProMotion adjusts its rate based on the content, enhancing battery efficiency.
• Enhanced User Experience: ProMotion offers smoother animations, improved gaming experiences, efficient video playback, and increased touch input responsiveness.
• Battery Efficiency: The dynamic adjustment of refresh rates based on content needs can lead to better battery conservation.
• Expansion Across Devices: After its debut on the iPad Pro, ProMotion technology has been incorporated into other Apple devices, including the iPhone 13 Pro series and the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.
• Setting Industry Standards: ProMotion is a significant advancement in display technology, setting high standards for future innovations in the realm of screen performance.

Understanding Refresh Rates

Before diving deeper into ProMotion, it’s crucial to understand the concept of refresh rates:

• Refresh Rate: It refers to the number of times a display updates its content per second. Measured in Hertz (Hz), a higher refresh rate means smoother visuals and less motion blur.
• Standard Displays: Most devices, including older Apple products, have a refresh rate of 60Hz, meaning the screen updates 60 times per second.
• ProMotion’s Advantage: With ProMotion, the display can refresh up to 120 times per second (120Hz), offering a visibly smoother experience, especially noticeable when scrolling or watching fast-paced videos.

Dynamic Adjustment: The Heart of ProMotion

What sets ProMotion apart from other high-refresh-rate technologies is its dynamic adaptability:

• Content-Based Adaptation: Instead of constantly running at 120Hz, ProMotion adjusts the refresh rate based on the content. For instance, while watching a movie shot at 24 frames per second, the display might adjust to 24Hz to match the content, conserving battery life.
• Touch Input Responsiveness: ProMotion also enhances the responsiveness of touch input. When using the Apple Pencil, for example, the technology can reduce latency, making the drawing or writing experience feel more instantaneous.

Benefits of ProMotion Technology

• Smoother Animations: Everything from scrolling web pages to transitioning between apps feels incredibly fluid.
• Enhanced Gaming: Gamers can enjoy smoother gameplay with reduced motion blur, especially in fast-paced games.
• Battery Efficiency: By dynamically adjusting the refresh rate based on content, ProMotion can conserve battery life when high refresh rates aren’t necessary.
• Improved Video Playback: Videos play more smoothly, and there’s reduced judder in scenes with rapid motion.