A questionable media report from Asia recently suggested that Apple plans to release an updated iPad mini with a 120Hz refresh rate ProMotion display. However, reputed Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) analyst Ross Young has voiced their skepticism about such a device.
A recent Gizchina report speculated that the iPad mini 7 would use a display that supports ProMotion, bumping up the display refresh rate from 60Hz to 120Hz, sometimes dropping down to 1Hz to save power. The report added that the tablet was unlikely to launch this year.
Responding to a query about the possibility of an iPad mini 7 on Twitter, Young said he would be “surprised” if the speculation was on-point. Young highlights that ProMotion support is unlikely because the iPad mini’s LCD panel cannot support the technology.
The iPad mini 6 uses an amorphous silicon LCD backplane for the display. Meanwhile, high refresh rate displays usually use an IGZO backplane. Most modern smartphones which use high-end panels prefer the IGZO panel because it offers deeper blacks, sharper resolutions, and better contrast alongside the high refresh rate.
I would be surprised since it is currently an a-Si LCD which isn't compatible with ProMotion. Only their Pro models support ProMotion as they use an Oxide LCD.
— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) June 28, 2022
Speculation about the iPad mini using a high-refresh-rate ProMotion display in its next iteration began when the iPad mini 6 “jelly scrolling” issue came to the fore. The phenomenon refers to an issue where the iPad display wouldn’t scroll smoothly. One half of the display scrolled in a wobbly manner, sometimes disconnected from the other half. It is normal for LCD screens to refresh line by line, but on taller displays like the iPad mini, the millisecond gap between the refresh of the top and bottom line of the display becomes apparent.
That said, Young’s speculation about the iPad mini 7 could be more reliable than the Gizchina report. So, if you’re expecting a ProMotion display on the iPad mini 7, we suggest your temper your expectations for now.
