All iPhone 17 Models Again Rumored to Feature 12GB of RAM

[UliBaer]

Thats not how unified memory works. And why do you think that AI needs constant access to 8GB?

Seems you don't know how "unified memory" works?

Shared memory - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It doesn't mean you have 'magically' more memory, it only means your other devices (like GPU and Neural Engine) don't have their own memory and instead use the main memory also (thereby creating a bottleneck for memory access between more participants, instead of each having their own memory). If AI needs 8 GB of memory, this memory is used and not free for other purposes. If other processes need this memory, the AI model has to be swapped out of the memory, leading to delays, when the AI model is needed again, since it has to be reloaded from disk (SSD). Since the local AI should "learn" from the use of the device and should be "screen aware" it has to be in memory to get further trained.

So i stay by my expression: Memory should already be 16 GB!

 

[darngooddesign]

Seems you don't know how "unified memory" works?

Shared memory - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It doesn't mean you have 'magically' more memory, it only means your other devices (like GPU and Neural Engine) don't have their own memory and instead use the main memory also (thereby creating a bottleneck for memory access between more participants, instead of each having their own memory). If AI needs 8 GB of memory, this memory is used and not free for other purposes. If other processes need this memory, the AI model has to be swapped out of the memory, leading to delays, when the AI model is needed again, since it has to be reloaded from disk (SSD). Since the local AI should "learn" from the use of the device and should be "screen aware" it has to be in memory to get further trained.

So i stay by my expression: Memory should already be 16 GB!

It's possible you dont completely either. AI doesn't partition off 8GB leaving only 4GB for everything else, and AI doesn't constantly need 8GB. If you are regularly using resource intensive apps on your phone (when is the last time you edited long videos on your phone?) then having 12GB instead of 8GB would be helpful, but I would bet your bottom dollar that you aren't.

 

[Reason077]

When Apple ported Stage Manager over to the A12 iPad Pros, unlike the M1s they got the windows but not swap memory.

Sure, but that's nothing to do with the A12 chip itself. It's because memory swapping is not a feature that has been implemented by iOS/iPadOS.

 

[Reason077]

If you are regularly using resource intensive apps on your phone (when is the last time you edited long videos on your phone?) then having 12GB instead of 8GB would be helpful, but I would bet your bottom dollar that you aren't.

I'd just like iOS Safari tabs to not crash on certain complex, bloated (/buggy) websites. More RAM would surely help with that.

 

[darngooddesign]

Sure, but that's nothing to do with the A12 chip itself. It's because memory swapping is not a feature that has been implemented by iOS/iPadOS.

iPadOS on the M# iPads have virtual swap memory.

 

[sameasalways]

Only a mother could love that model

 

[Froilan]

Base iPhone 17, (12+256gb) with 120hz 🤩

 

[Reason077]

iPadOS on the M# iPads have virtual swap memory.

Oh, nice. That’s relatively new. But I’ll bet Apple is gatekeeping this feature to the M iPads because they have much faster storage controllers and NAND chips than other models. They also, apparently, restrict it to 256GB+ models for the same reason (the 128GB NAND chips are significantly slower).

 

[darngooddesign]

Oh, nice. That’s relatively new. But I’ll bet Apple is gatekeeping this feature to the M iPads because they have much faster storage controllers and NAND chips than other models. They also, apparently, restrict it to 256GB+ models for the same reason (the 128GB NAND chips are significantly slower).

The feature came with the OS which had Stage Manager and its restricted to 128GB+. The base 128GB M1 iPP got it, the 64GB iPA didn’t, but none of the A12 iPPs got it.

 

[PaladinGuy]

Thats not how unified memory works. And why do you think that AI needs constant access to 8GB?

Maybe it doesn’t, but Apple doesn’t tend to give more on RAM unless they have no choice. Otherwise, they’d squeeze more money out through upgrades.

 

[PaladinGuy]

Base iPhone 17, (12+256gb) with 120hz

If that’s true and the Pros go back to aluminum, I don’t see nearly as many Pro sales. I wouldn’t buy one. I already care most about the display than the cameras.

 

[darngooddesign]

Maybe it doesn’t, but Apple doesn’t tend to give more on RAM unless they have no choice. Otherwise, they’d squeeze more money out through upgrades.

The iPhone has never had a paid ram upgrade.

 

[UliBaer]

The iPhone has never had a paid ram upgrade.

That's right, but nearly every other item, Apple produces, has that option.
BTW: Really nice gravy train for them - therefore the stinginess on base RAM!

And I'm damn sure, that would also be the case with iPhones, if it would only be possible to build them to order!

 

[jfeathe]

So the iPhone 16 series, which was “build from the ground up for AI” is being succeeded by an all-12gb RAM lineup? Apple would never admit it, but is it possible some of the delayed AI features are due to Apple not being able to figure out how to run some of the promised features on 8gb?

Apple has backed themselves into a corner with this one. They can’t avoid a RAM increase and they can’t avoid the narrative that the 16 series is under powered.

 

[darngooddesign]

So the iPhone 16 series, which was “build from the ground up for AI” is being succeeded by an all-12gb RAM lineup? Apple would never admit it, but is it possible some of the delayed AI features are due to Apple not being able to figure out how to run some of the promised features on 8gb?

Apple has backed themselves into a corner with this one. They can’t avoid a RAM increase and they can’t avoid the narrative that the 16 series is under powered.

The Internet: Apple is bad because they never increase the RAM

Also the Internet: Apple is bad because they increased the RAM

Y’all are never happy.

 

[PaladinGuy]

The Internet: Apple is bad because they never increase the RAM

Also the Internet: Apple is bad because they increased the RAM

Y’all are never happy.

Often true, but I think this is oversimplifying the current situation. I will try to withhold judgment until I see if they’re going to screw over iPhone 16 buyers. If they limit the iPhone 16 series at all because of RAM, complaints will be warranted.

 

[darngooddesign]

Often true, but I think this is oversimplifying the current situation. I will try to withhold judgment until I see if they’re going to screw over iPhone 16 buyers. If they limit the iPhone 16 series at all because of RAM, complaints will be warranted.

Meh. My 15 Pro has the same amount of ram and I’m not worried. I do love how the people claiming not to be interested in AI, are complaining that they might not get some future AI feature.