A well-known tipster in the tech scene, Digital Chat Station, shared predictions on Weibo about the upcoming “iPhone 18e”. The expectation is that the device, scheduled for launch at the beginning of next year, will follow the pattern of its predecessors and will not present any advances in the screen refresh rate, remaining at 60Hz.
According to the information released, the new generation smartphone should incorporate the same low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) TFT panel already present in the iPhone 17e. This configuration indicates that the device will not have features such as ProMotion technology, which allows variable refresh rates of up to 120Hz, nor the Always-On Display feature.
The adoption of panels with LTPO 1 technology by Apple is only expected from the fourth generation of the model, whose launch is scheduled for the beginning of 2028. This suggests a technological scaling strategy between the different lines of iPhones, prioritizing advances for the most robust models initially.
However, the realization of this forecast is directly linked to the progress of a new display technology, called LTPO+, which promises significantly lower energy consumption. This innovation is seen as crucial for the high-end iPhones of 2028, such as future versions of the iPhone Air and the “iPhone Ultra”.
The implementation of LTPO+ in the most advanced models would free up the standard LTPO panels to be used in other devices in the line, including the “e” versions. If development does not reach the expected schedule, the introduction of LTPO panels in the “iPhone 19e” may be delayed, maintaining the 60Hz standard for longer in entry-level models.
