iPhone 17 Base Model Likely to Stick With 8GB RAM

[MacRumors]

Apple's iPhone 17 lineup could feature a notable RAM divide, with the base model potentially missing out on a rumored memory boost coming to the more high-end models.

According to leaker Fixed Focus Digital on Weibo, the iPhone 17 will stick with 8GB of RAM while the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will jump to 12GB. The leaker previously revealed the iPhone 16e name before its official announcement, lending some credibility to their claim.

For comparison, Samsung's latest Galaxy S25 models, which launched earlier this year, all come with 12GB of RAM. Google's Pixel 9 also comes with 12GB of RAM.

The leaker's information tallies with earlier predictions from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who suggested the same 12GB upgrade for the Air and Pro models. Kuo expressed uncertainty about the base iPhone 17's RAM configuration getting an upgrade due to potential supply constraints, and he has not provided an update on his thoughts since his original April prediction.

All current iPhone 16 models ship with 8GB of RAM, which meets Apple Intelligence's minimum requirement. The base iPhone 17 maintaining this amount would still support Apple's AI features, though the extra memory in higher-end models could enable more sophisticated processing and better gaming performance.

The iPhone 17 lineup is expected to launch around mid-September.

Article Link: iPhone 17 Base Model Likely to Stick With 8GB RAM

 

[Aluminum213]

As long as Apple is saving money, I am happy

 

[zombierunner]

64gb storage 🙃

 

[User 6502]

iPhone upgrades are increasingly more underwhelming. Apple is really being a complete disappointment lately. Cook must go.

 

[fatTribble]

I remember when memory was measured in M, and before that K.
I always have to read these articles carefully and say yep, that really says G.
(and don’t make fun of your elders 🤭)

 

[Plutonius]

iPhone upgrades are increasingly more underwhelming. Apple is really being a complete disappointment lately. Cook must go.

Yep, let's increase the RAM and the price of the base model phone /S.

Some people don't need the increased RAM as much as a lower cost phone.

 

[darngooddesign]

64gb storage 🙃

Even the 16E starts with 128GB so no.

 

[darngooddesign]

I remember when memory was measured in M, and before that K.
I always have to read these articles carefully and say yep, that really says G.
(and don’t make fun of your elders 🤭)

Old man yells at iClouds.

 

[winxmac]

iPhone XR - 3GB RAM
iPhone 11 - 4GB RAM
iPhone 12 - 4GB RAM
iPhone 13 - 4GB RAM
iPhone 14 - 6GB RAM
iPhone 15 - 6GB RAM
iPhone 16 - 8GB RAM

 

[bLackjackj]

Fixed Focus Digital is a genius,.. 🙄🤦‍♂️

 

[kiranmk2]

Yep, let's increase the RAM and the price of the base model phone /S.

Some people don't need the increased RAM as much as a lower cost phone.

Isn't that the entire point of the iPhone 16e? The base iPhone has looked more and more pointless in recent years, so it wouldn't surprise me if Apple culled it in a year or so to "encourage" people to move to the Air model.

 

[bLackjackj]

iPhone upgrades are increasingly more underwhelming. Apple is really being a complete disappointment lately. Cook must go.

The problem is that he is a cost per part guy, not a tech thinker. Look at his background. This is the guy that wouldn't go to Jonny Ives intro of the original Apple Watch to the Board.

 

[neuropsychguy]

Throwing more RAM into devices doesn’t solve all problems. It might not even solve any problem. If hardware is constrained, it encourages more efficiency from the software engineering team. It also means that new versions of iOS will need to work well with less RAM for years to come. That’s great news for those who keep phones for many years.

 

[uacd]

For comparison, Samsung's latest Galaxy S25 models, which launched earlier this year, all come with 12GB of RAM. Google's Pixel 9 also comes with 12GB of RAM.

How is the camera shutter lag tho? Smth tells me these guys lose even to base 16. I mean I don't really blame Android but these devices aren't cheap. Over so many years they could have done at least something to reduce it. There are still reports of "slow camera" on the web. While my old Galaxy S10+ took great images in daylight, I've lost many photos because the camera didn't capture the exact moment

 

[one more]

“…though the extra memory in higher-end models could enable more sophisticated processing and better gaming performance.”

Full-on gaming on an iPhone is a rather limited experience due to the lack of screen estate, IMHO. And for light gaming 4-8GB are totally fine.

 

[Total Respray]

iPhone upgrades are increasingly more underwhelming. Apple is really being a complete disappointment lately. Cook must go.

While I understand the sentiment, these sort of comments will not move the needle. Whether we like it or not (and I don’t), consumers are secondary in Apple’s considerations. Shareholders come first and by that metric Cook will probably not be leaving anytime soon.

 

[UltimaKilo]

iPhone upgrades are increasingly more underwhelming. Apple is really being a complete disappointment lately. Cook must go.

They’re Smartphones… neither Tim Cook nor anyone else can make them do much more than they already do. What do you want, for it to transform into a flying car?

 

[Veinticinco]

iPhone XR - 3GB RAM
iPhone 11 - 4GB RAM
iPhone 12 - 4GB RAM
iPhone 13 - 4GB RAM
iPhone 14 - 6GB RAM
iPhone 15 - 6GB RAM
iPhone 16 - 8GB RAM

The frantic breathless (as in asthmatic snail) pace of Apple hardware development right there.

Maybe we should be grateful it remains linear progress on paper, unlike the aluminium-to-steel-to-titanium-back-to-aluminium sh*t that's being shovelled.

 

[citysnaps]

While I understand the sentiment, these sort of comments will not move the needle. Whether we like it or not (and I don’t), consumers are secondary in Apple’s considerations. Shareholders come first and by that metric Cook will probably not be leaving anytime soon.

It's more like Apple's 1+ Billion happy, active, and repeat customers come first.

Without them: Apple will lose customers and sales -> Apple's revenue will tank -> resulting in shareholder disappointment -> resulting in massive dumping of Apple stock.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

As long as Apple is saving money, I am happy

you must be basking in joy

 

[Total Respray]

It's more like Apple's 1+ Billion happy, active, and repeat customers come first.

Without them: Apple will lose customers and sales -> Apple's revenue will tank -> resulting in shareholder disappointment -> resulting in massive dumping of Apple stock.

Partly agree, but these days customers are just a means to an end. Shareholder profit.

 

[Reason077]

Yep, let's increase the RAM and the price of the base model phone /S.

Some people don't need the increased RAM as much as a lower cost phone.

RAM is not what makes the iPhone expensive.

At Apple's scale and purchasing power, the difference in cost between 8GB and 12GB RAM is almost measured in pennies. At most, it's a very small, single-figure number of dollars.

 

[citysnaps]

Partly agree, but these days customers are just a means to an end. Shareholder profit.

Apple cannot have excellent shareholder profit without their 1+ Billion happy/repeat/active customers who love Apple products and repeatedly purchase them. Year after year after year. Making Apple one of the most successful consumer tech companies in the wold.

 

[carswell]

Pro tip: Turn off Apple "Intelligence" and you don't need 12GB RAM.

 

[SmugMaverick]

Classic Apple, they only stuck 8GB in because it NEEDED it for AI and look how that turned out.

Otherwise it'd still have 6GB, and don't you dare tell me the mythical iOS only needs a little RAM, it's horrendous.