iPhone 17 backed for upgrade to ProMotion display (again)

The RedMagic 9S Pro ships with some of the world's most cutting-edge smartphone display technology, yet goes for as little as $636.65 (or 15% off its normal list price) on Amazon today (December 30, 2025).

By contast, the iPhone 16 comes with a display of a significantly more last-gen 60Hz refresh rate (and a significantly noticeable punch-hole), yet costs more, even in Renewed condition, thanks to not much more than its Apple logo.

Its successor is backed to be the member of its series to finally address this discrepancy in 2025, and may thus be introduced as the first non-Pro iPhone with a ProMotion display in the third quarter of the year. 

This is not the first time the base-model 17 has been backed to make this potentially historical upgrade. This time, however, the legendary leaker Digital Chat Station's latest tip includes hints that 2025's vanilla iPhone might have to "squeeze out the toothpaste" - as in, make do with Apple's remaining stock of panels originally intended for the similarly-sized iPhone 16 Pro - or even 15 Pro.

More up-to-date features such as thinner bezels or smaller Dynamic Islands might be exclusive to the 17 Pro and Pro Max, thanks to more cutting-edge display technology. That might also apply to the rumored "17 Air", the 17's newest, much thinner sibling.