Apple might be planning to release some of its products with a new 90Hz display. The report comes from an anonymous source of the Upgrade podcast, and was then spotted by 9to5Mac. According to the podcast, a new iPad Air, 24-inch iMac, and Studio Display could be upgraded with 90Hz displays.
Here’s what the anonymous source told Myke Hurley and Jason Snell:
And they say: I have news on screen improvements for the next generation of the M3 iPad Air. Apple is working on a higher refresh rate LCD display with a new LiquidMotion panel fixer around 90Hz. They’re also working on expanding it to other models or products like a 24-inch iMac and a next-gen Studio Display.
This is the first time we hear Apple is working on a display with a higher refresh rate that is not considered ProMotion. With the current reports, this rumor makes little sense. For example, previous stories mentioned Apple wants to revamp the iPad Air by 2026 with an OLED display. If that’s the case, the company would make a brief upgrade with the M3 chip and a 90Hz LCD screen to a year later update the iPad with a faster processor and a redesign with an OLED display – most likely running at 60Hz.
While Apple could indeed be working on a 90Hz LCD panel for a future iteration of the Studio Display or the iMac, I don’t think the same could be worth it for the iPad.
Regarding an iMac update, it’s unclear if Apple will follow a yearly schedule or return to a two-year gap. For the Studio Display, it’s unclear if Cupertino is working on a new iteration and when it could be released.
Here’s why a 90Hz display isn’t coming to the iPhone
A reputable leaker, display analyst Ross Young, says Apple plans to upgrade next year’s regular iPhone models with ProMotion and Always On Display technologies. That said, users should feel relief that not only is Apple phasing LCD panels for its iPhone models, as even the iPhone SE 4 is rumored to use OLED, but the new iPhone lineups (except for SE) will have ProMotion and AOD features.
While these technology expansions could eventually come to non-Pro iPad models, it seems sketchy that Apple is working on a new LCD panel soon after releasing an update to the iPad Air with a completely different display technology.
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