iPhone 17 Pro may get this special display feature as Apple drops ProMotion

iPhone display

Apple could be shaking up its iPhone 17 lineup this year in more ways than one. While the upcoming iPhone 17 Air is expected to be a sleeker, ultra-thin model aimed at stealing attention from the Pro range, a fresh rumour hints at a new display feature that may help the iPhone 17 Pro stand out.

For years, Apple reserved its high-refresh-rate 120Hz ProMotion displays for the Pro series. That’s what gave the iPhone Pro models a clear advantage — smoother animations, always-on capability, and overall better visuals.

But this distinction may be coming to an end. Industry leaks suggest Apple will roll out ProMotion across the full iPhone 17 lineup, including the standard iPhone 17 and the new iPhone 17 Air. That levels the playing field in terms of refresh rates and could pose a challenge to the Pro models, especially with the Air offering a fresh design twist.

To fill the gap left by the loss of ProMotion exclusivity, Apple is reportedly working on a new anti-reflective, scratch-resistant display technology that will be exclusive to the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max. The new display is rumoured to offer better visibility in bright conditions and improved durability, giving Pro users a reason to stick with the higher-end models.

While details are limited, this technology may be a variant of Apple’s nano-texture glass — something it recently introduced on the M4 iPad Pro, and later on its MacBook Pro and iMac lines. If implemented well, this could give the iPhone 17 Pro an edge in real-world usability without compromising aesthetics.

With the entire iPhone 17 family expected to feature 120Hz panels, Apple appears to be shifting its Pro value proposition towards durability and display quality. If the anti-reflective display rumour holds true, it could become the key reason to pay the Pro premium in 2025 — as long as Apple avoids tacking on an extra charge like it did with nano-texture Mac displays.