Titanium Apple Watch Series 10 (left) and aluminum Apple Watch Series 10
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
According to Korea’s The Elec (via MacRumors), LTPO3 display technology, which was first utilized in the Apple Watch Series 10, may also be adapted for future iPhones. This new technology improves both power efficiency and display performance.
On the flagship Apple Watch Series 10, LTPO3 enables Apple to optimize each pixel to emit more light at wider angles and improve battery efficiency. As a result, the display is 40% brighter than on the previous model, the Apple Watch Series 9, which employed LTPO2. The newer technology also allows for a faster refresh rate when the watch is in always-on mode.
From a technical standpoint, LTPO2 uses two switching TFTs (thin-film transistors), while LTPO3 uses a more efficient oxide-based version. It can directly control the current to emit light from the display’s OLED element.
The iPhone 16 Pro series uses LTPO2, which isn’t expected to change in the 2025 iPhone 17 Pro series. Therefore, the earliest we may see LTPO3 on iPhones could be with the iPhone 18 in 2026.
Samsung Display, which has previously supplied displays for Apple Watches, isn’t involved with the Apple Watch Series 10. Industry sources, however, believe Samsung will be front and center when it comes time to begin production on the 2025 Apple Watch Series 11. From there, it could supply displays for the iPhone 18 series and beyond, although nothing is confirmed.
The LTPO3 feature on the Apple Watch Series 10 is reported to enhance battery efficiency; however, it does not appear to extend battery life. The Apple Watch Series 10 offers a battery life of up to 18 hours between charges, similar to other models in the series. Whether LTPO3 will yield similar or improved results on future iPhones remains to be seen.
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
You can earn a limited-edition Apple Watch reward on October 10. Here’s how
Earning Apple Watch awards is part of what makes the wearable such a fun way to track your health. This Thursday, and this Thursday only, you have a chance to earn a limited edition badge.
You can earn the Apple Watch digital badge on October 10 in honor of World Mental Health Day. To qualify, record at least ten mindful minutes using any app that contributes data to the Apple Health app on iPhone. You can easily collect the data using an Apple Watch, including the new Apple Watch Series 10.
Read more
The iPhone 16 Camera Control is fun, but it could be better
Now that the year is starting to wind down, all the major flagship smartphone launches of 2024, including Apple’s iPhone 16 line, are behind us.
As an iPhone user for over the past decade, I found the iPhone 16 launch exciting, as Apple finally gave us some of the best darn colors for the base model in quite some time. And don’t forget that the base models also got quite a few features previously exclusive to the Pro models, like the Action button, a two-year jump in power with the A18, and the new Camera Control button that’s on all iPhone 16 variations.
Read more
Is watchOS 11 giving you bad Apple Watch battery life? A fix is here
The launch of Apple’s watchOS 11 a few weeks ago brought many exciting new features to the , including a translation app, sleep apnea detection, and even new watch faces.
Unfortunately, it also introduced a bug that chews through the watch’s battery like a bear in an apple orchard. Good news: Apple is releasing a fix for this annoying glitch in watchOS 11.0.1.
Read more
