At first, the iPhone 12 Pro was supposed to have a 120 Hz display. Then it did not. Now, however, there seems to be good news.

Ice Universe, one of the most reliable leakers, has thrown a curve at iPhone rumor believers by claiming that there is a possible "silver lining" to these rumors. But that will only be confirmed at Apple's press conference.

For those who don't know what 120Hz refers to, it means that the device's display updates the image 120 times per second. the average display, like the iPhone 11, updates only 60 times per second. 120Hz allows for scrolling on the web, 120Hz support for games, and watching videos that support high frame rates will feel smoother. Once you feel the difference, it will be hard to go back to 60Hz.

IU elaborated a bit more in his reply to the first tweet, stating that two different sources within Apple were responsible for this long-standing disagreement. It seems that someone on the production line is giving bad news, while Ice Universe has heard conflicting rumors from another part of Apple.

The bad news being mentioned here would be Front Page Tech's Jon Prosser's recent claim that the previously rumored 120Hz displays on two iPhone 12 Pro models were not ready for production.

Apple's ProMotion technology (the name for 120Hz refresh rate displays) is already in the iPad Pro, but apparently getting the same technology into a smartphone rather than a tablet is more difficult than expected. At one time, only the largest 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max was rumored to have ProMotion, but rumors are growing that there will be no 120Hz iPhone this year.

This is especially disappointing given how ubiquitous 120Hz displays are on Android flagships. Smartphones such as Samsung's Galaxy S20 series, Galaxy Note 20 series, and OnePlus 8 Pro have adopted this new standard, while others like the Google Pixel 4 and Huawei P40 Pro have stuck with the lower but respectable 90Hz and some phones, like the Asus ROG Phone 3, stick to the high 144Hz.

But what exactly does the Ice Universe tweet mean when it mentions a silver lining? It could mean that Apple will soon release a 120Hz iPhone, perhaps manufactured in a different location than where Prosser's leak came from, and released early next year as the "iPhone 12s" model. Perhaps it means that there are other cool features Apple has planned for the iPhone 12 display, such as the rumored 10-bit color depth, ultra-wide viewing angle, and Pro Display XDR-like anti-glare coating.

To find out, we'll likely have to wait for the announcement unless an enterprising leaker gets to the bottom of it first. Apple will hold an event on September 15, which is expected to center around the Apple Watch 6 and iPad Air 4. iPhone-related news is also likely, but a full announcement will come later.