Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Can someone explain to me why this is so bad? iOS runs flawlessly, and has been this way for all three iPhones that I've had. Why does the iPhone need more RAM if the os is perfectly optimized for 1GB?

If by flawless you mean the constant reloading on Safari (a problem on OSX as well), frequent app killing, and frequent low memory errors, then yes, iOS runs fantastically on 1GB of memory.
 
Why is apple saving $6 on 1GB of ram and 16GB of flash to not have a slam dunk winner phone? Because the 6S is coming. Their hold back features to later release them to oohs and ahhs is well documented.
 
Personally the amount of RAM my phone has is just a number. I actually think its a testament to Apples engineering prowess that they can get such amazing results from just 1 GB of RAM. And I appreciate them doing whatever they can to keep costs down.

Except the 64-bit transition cost the 5s about 25-30% of it's available RAM. So no, please don't drink the kool-aid.

Source: http://www.anandtech.com/show/7335/the-iphone-5s-review/4
 
I'm shocked...1GB...seriously?
The iPhone 5 introduced 1GB. It was time for an upgrade to 2GB. What was the point of introducing a 64 bit processor if you're bottlenecking the device to 1GB?

By the way, 1GB is simply not enough. I get a lot of low memory warnings when I have 5-6 apps open on my 5s (jailbroken phone so I can have cool stuff like that). Plus Safari is a pain due to the fact that tabs will refresh due to not enough memory.

Android is on the rise and Apple needs to fight back, not release some half assed product. Introducing a 64 bit CPU and only using 1GB of RAM on the next model is just wow. They want developers to unleash the power of the iPhone yet limit their app's memory consumption to around 300-500mb (obviously most apps will just use 20-30 mb of RAM)
 
Can someone explain to me why this is so bad? iOS runs flawlessly, and has been this way for all three iPhones that I've had. Why does the iPhone need more RAM if the os is perfectly optimized for 1GB?

Because it doesn't run flawlessly and it has needed 2GBs since the A7 came out. First of all, whenever you have to run a 32 bit app, iOS loads 32 bit AND 64 bit binaries, making it more memory constrained than the iPhone 5 or 4s with an A6 or A5. This isn't true in terms of bandwidth, bandwidth is good.
Over time you realize the apps you use are constantly closing, you may be doing something in an app and then switch to another to check something, come back and realize everything you wrote is gone and the app is reloading. It's infuriating sometimes, especially when using something in safari, like to respond to a macrumors post. That time we have to wait for our 3rd or 4th last-used-app is annoying. Facebook and safari almost always have to be reloaded on my ipad Air. I'm limited to multitasking with 2-4 apps. That's hardly multitasking.
Second, most of my crashes in the diagnostics report are for low memory, especially in safari.
 
Why is apple saving on 1GB of ram and 16GB of flash to not have a slam dunk winner phone? Because the 6S is coming. Their hold back features to later release them to oohs and ahhs is well documented.

Exactly, this iPhone will again be ''revolutionary'' because its bigger, and the new one will again be ''amazing'' because it has twice the ram and storage than the 6 at the same price.... So sad.
 
Larger screen = more pixels = larger assets in ram + 1GB = multitasking HELL.

I cannot support this obvious cheaping out, so if its true, its a definite no buy for me.
 
I'm shocked...1GB...seriously?
The iPhone 5 introduced 1GB. It was time for an upgrade to 2GB. What was the point of introducing a 64 bit processor if you're bottlenecking the device to 1GB?

By the way, 1GB is simply not enough. I get a lot of low memory warnings when I have 5-6 apps open on my 5s (jailbroken phone so I can have cool stuff like that). Plus Safari is a pain due to the fact that tabs will refresh due to not enough memory.

Android is on the rise and Apple needs to fight back, not release some half assed product. Introducing a 64 bit CPU and only using 1GB of RAM on the next model is just wow. They want developers to unleash the power of the iPhone yet limit their app's memory consumption to around 300-500mb (obviously most apps will just use 20-30 mb of RAM)


I've never hit a RAM ceiling on my iPhone and I use it heavily. The only exception was when I jailbroke it. But then it acted like an Android phone (crashy, laggy, memory leaks, etc.) so I reverted back. Had zero memory issues since. It appears your need for more RAM stems from having a jailbroken iPhone, which makes your request irrelevant.
 
So would there be any precedence of Apple releasing an alternate A-series chip about one month after rolling out a new one so that the coming iPads can go to 2GB while these new iPhones stay at 1GB.

Or do we see this as it implies: that the new iPads will use the same chip?

I can't see it. I fear for iPad users I'm afraid!
 
Because it's not forward thinking (the tag line for the iPhone 5s by the way). The whole point is that the phone runs CURRENT software fine, but it will be limited at a hardware level to stay at current abilities. Add more RAM and you give developers (both 3rd party and Apple engineers) a lot more room to make more advanced, more powerful applications.

It feels like it's throwing away the future to make a quick buck in the present.

Let's hope there is some magic in the OS or 1 gig will be fine for the next 3 versions of the iPhone.

Most people only keep the phone for 2 years (maybe 3) and that should cover iOS 9/10/11 before they start to get doggy.
 
I don't care what the RAM is. It's a spec number--a marketing point.

I care how well the device performs, and what battery life it gets.

More RAM helps performance (in some cases: reloading stuff into RAM less) but software efficiency to NEED less RAM can achieve the same kinds of benefit.

More RAM hurts battery life (all other things being equal) but software efficiency to NEED less battery can help.

There's a balance: the most efficient OS, tools to make 3rd party apps the most efficient, the least power-hungry hardware, and just the right amount of RAM.

Where is that balance?

I won't pretend to know. But I also won't assume that other phone makers have the ideal balance (they can't even do what Apple can with the OS).

I hope Apple has found a good balance for each device. Only tests will tell us: how well does this device perform? What battery life does it get?

THAT is what matters. Not a number alone.

I wasn't aware of that. Then i wonder why the iPad Air's can't hold more than one or two Safari tabs. (I don't own one, but many on this forum complain about it).

I'll add my anecdote: my Air has never had a problem keeping all my tabs. More than one or two for sure. (I'll also add that I wouldn't much care if it DID have that limit: I occasionally use tons of tabs to "save something for later" in a lazy/easy way. I don't care if one of those old tabs takes 1 second to refresh when I finally get back to it. The number of tabs I'm actually using NOW, at a given moment, switching back and forth, is more like 2 to 4.)

That said, the iPad has battery to spare, so why not go for more RAM there? I don't object to 1GB on the phone, but I'll support those who complain if the iPad doesn't get more. I'll be surprised if it doesn't.

EDIT: I also can see merit in the future-proofing argument—giving us MORE RAM than most people need could well be a benefit some future day. However:

- You still suffer the reduced battery life now, and forever. There's no free lunch. Less RAM = more battery time. (I'd be curious to know how much, but am led to believe from tech podcasts that it's a significant drain from some phones.)

- Some developers will be "lazy" about USING more RAM (even if not really needed) and then you're right back where you started. It could help them (which isn't all bad) more than it helps you the user.

- If people are comparing Apple RAM to other companies' RAM... then they'd better not bring up future-proofing because Android devices get abandoned before you're done with your 2-year contract! We can say iOS 9 or 10 would probably benefit from some RAM "elbow room." We can't say that your new Android phone will see much benefit from 2 to 3 major releases of Android into the future: you probably won't ever get it!
 
Last edited:
1GB of RAM on an iPhone is no issue. On an iPad, it's an issue.

Luckily, I only have the iPhone so this doesn't bother me!
I have to agree that it is a bigger issue on iPad. However this leak says nothing about iPad nor does it confirm that this is shipping hardware.

IPad actually need more RAM with a faster (wider) interface. Just improving the RAM interface would do wonders even for an A7.
 
1gb is only a number, the iPhone runs fine, but ipad is in need for more ram. I'm certain the os could use the flash storage instead as ram and that would be almost as fast anyway.

I'm sure there would be a reason for the choice if there is no increase there will be a software solution.
 
Steve would never have allowed this.

Apple is doomed.

Tim, the bean counter.

-------
Not. The iPhone 6 will be a huge success despite the dearth of RAM. And it also means that the iPhone 6S will be an even bigger release. But it still is time to move on, giving us more RAM for a much better experience.
 
Feel sorry for people who expected something different. This is Apple the king of cost and profit effectiveness.

For a phone it won't be a major issue until it comes to safari or editing movies. For an iPad (which I would use as a productivity tool), No way.

I probably won't by an iPhone/iPad again until they introduce a Pro line.
 
Future proofing iPhone

1gb may run ok for iOS 8 but what about ios 9 and on. This is about future proofing the iPhone for the next few releases.
Paying $700+ for a phone or being locked into a contract for the next 2 years these devices need to function well going forward.
Apple knows their roadmap for the next several years. Surely that's kept in mind when choosing the amount of ram to place in these devices and not simply a way to gain profit at the expense of performance down the road.
 
Last edited:
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.