Third-party apps apparently can't fully utilize the iPhone 13 Pro's display and its 120Hz ProMotion feature

A display with high adaptive refresh rates of up to 120Hz is among the highlights of Apple's recently released iPhone 13 smartphones. The feature is only available on the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max (from US$1,099 on Amazon) and allows for a very smooth and fluid user experience. However, a developer on Twitter has now voiced his concerns about certain annoying limitations of this feature.

According to MacRumors, the Canada-based developer cannot program the animations in his app to be rendered at 120Hz on the iPhone 13 Pro. The high refresh rate appears to be activated only for scrolling and full screen transitions, but not for all other animations, which in comparison look like they stutter. This can consequently cause a very inconsistent user experience, and in Apple's own native apps 120Hz appears to be activated for all animations.

Apple has yet to comment on the limitation of its otherwise impressive looking ProMotion display in the iPhone 13 Pro. It is for example possible that this restriction is intended to increase the smartphone's battery life. The ProMotion display in the iPad Pro on the other hand allows developers to implement 120Hz animations. Therefore Apple may elect to fully enable the feature in the iPhone 13 Pro in the future, but for the time being owners of Apple's latest and greatest smartphone may not be able to enjoy the full capabilities of the smooth and fluid ProMotion display.

Update: Issue resolved

Apple has since issued a statement and provided instructions that allow iOS app developers to fully utilize the 120Hz ProMotion display in the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max.