The Apple iPhone 13 series devices already went on sale on Friday, September 24, 2021. Now, after receiving the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max smartphone, users are reporting that not all third-party applications are using the ProMotion display which is a 120Hz adaptive screen refresh rate. Meanwhile, Apple has mentioned to 9to5Mac that both the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max requires a software update to run all third-party apps at 120Hz.
It’s worth mentioning that the 120Hz adaptive screen refresh rate (ProMotion display) is already available on iPad Pro since 2017. Now, Apple has finally included the same to its latest iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max models only. The so-called ProMotion display basically offers seamless and buttery smooth scrolling and full-screen transitions while using apps or games whatsoever.
Meanwhile, the adaptive refresh rate is also capable of assuming when and which apps don’t require smooth scrolling or transitions and it limits the refresh rate to stock 60Hz that normally smartphones do have. It’ll basically save some battery juice for the important work and nothing else.
Now, reports are coming out that plenty of third-party apps are still running on the 60Hz refresh rate which ruins the user experience even after having the ProMotion display feature. Meanwhile, Apple has also indicated that all the third-party app developers will have to enable the higher framerate support for their apps or games. It’ll eventually require the developer to add new info.plist key to opt-in for their apps to support 120Hz refresh rate on iPhone 13 series.
Apple will make this documentation available to all third-party app developers soon and a firmware update in the near future will definitely fix this issue or we can say a bug that doesn’t allow the Core Animation to achieve the 120Hz refresh rate.