The difference in cost from 2gb to 4gb for a company like Apple is pennies. Cost is not the issue here.
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Why did Apple not give 4GB RAM on the 9.7" iPad Pro ?
- Thread starter augustya
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The difference in cost from 2gb to 4gb for a company like Apple is pennies. Cost is not the issue here.
Actually it does work that way. iOS devices have a unified memory architecture so they too could also have lots of RAM devoted to graphics, however as I said the PPI has not changed between the 12.9 and the 9.7 so both systems will use the same textures etc. That being the case the only difference should really be in the size of the frame buffers and video memory which should account for no more than 2% of 2GB.
When the iPad moved to retina it was a much more disruptive change as all textures etc had to grow in size x4. This resulted in the retina iPad requiring a leap up from 512 to 1GB. This isn't the case with the 12.9 against the 9.7.
And snide remarks and sarcasm are not a beautiful thing. Seriously, can't any one just make a point on here without being a real jack wagon and having to be ridiculous with their comments?
RAM is a finite resource in the world. It requires depleting fixed reserves, which hurt the environment and accelerate climate change that affects us all. Apple is a green company, and is being socially responsible by not over harvesting precious resources. There is only so much silicon left, and it is not morally acceptable to waste most of it in personal toys that are primarily used for trivial entertainment and socializing.
Anyone who denies this should be mocked, ridiculed and perhaps even incarcerated. It is the new American way.
Anyone who denies this should be mocked, ridiculed and perhaps even incarcerated. It is the new American way.
Based on Geekbench memory scores, it seems the Pro 9.7 has single channel 2GB LPDDR4 while the Pro 12.9 has dual channel 4GB (2x 2GB) LPDDR4 so possibly not just a cost savings decision but space savings, too.
Nope.
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It works just fine with 2GB. Now just move along....
Are we sure that Geekbench is accurate? My understanding is that it wasn't with the 12.9 IPP was released, and some say that a tear down will be required to see what is in the new model. It's just software, so it is possible that it isn't able to detect a unique structure.
sounds like the cliched message that Optimus Prime keeps giving at the end of Transformers !
I suggest you go back to the links I posted and it is at LEAST $12 in RAM cost per unit assuming they just have 2 2GB sticks and not 1 more expensive 4gb stick; far from pennies.
Multiply that by 50 million iPads and its far from negligible. If you think $50-100 million isnt at least PART of the issue, I mean cmon.
Out of curiosity, does anybody have a clue what Apple margins are on the new iPad Pro or is it too early?
No idea, not even the 12.9 seems to have been parted out yet, but it's not really relevant to this issue here which is people think it's "pennies more" and "so easy" with a smaller device to fit stuff in and want to whine about some bad assumptions they have.
And an extra $100 million in parts is $100 million in parts. And people say oh just raise the price, yup try telling that to the average person who doesnt know what RAM is that their iPad is not $100 more now but $120 more. That's all they see; they had no clue how much RAM it had to begin with which is 98% of the people out there who dont reach tech sites.
So you're saying the reason why Apple didn't put 4gb ram was because it wasn't the green thing to do?
This is the new height of absurdity the Apple apologists have reached.
Let me take a few minutes to laugh long and hard on this one...
There is a possibility that the iPad Pro 9.7 uses DDR3 ram, the teardown will reveal that....
Memory tests aren't all that complex. Mostly, you're just testing for bandwidth. I think most probably already expect the 9.7 to have one LPDDR4 module. Geekbench memory scores seem to support that theory.
Unlikely due to the A9X. The CPU has to support the RAM type. The 6s, 6s+ and Pro 12.9 all have LPDDR4 so quite likely, that's what the Pro 9.7 will have.
Iirc, Apple targets 40% minimum. Given the hardware in the Pro 9.7, manufacturing cost of $360 certainly seems plausible.
Well the ars technica review perfectly matched my own assessment of the ram issue. And I'm much more inclined to trust their opinion than random people on here.
Tl;dr
It's fine for right now, possibly problematic in future updates, and understandable to create some disappointment amongst enthusiasts relative to its big brother.
Tl;dr
It's fine for right now, possibly problematic in future updates, and understandable to create some disappointment amongst enthusiasts relative to its big brother.
Uh, since it was obviously a sardonic spoof post mocking Apple's often annoying environmental self-righteousness, you should be laughing.
However, the fact that you took it seriously, speaks volumes about your personal harmony with the universe and overall well being. Maybe it is time to get your aura realigned?
That would only be the case if they used more chips. Using the same number of chips, the
Sticks? We are talking about single 2gb chips.. There are no RAM sticks in an iPad..
See the iPad Pro 12.9 teardown: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPad+Pro+Teardown/52599
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They didn't need to, and I don't need to buy this 1/2 step device. I'm voting with my wallet, and not buying. Had it had 3Gigs of RAM, seemingly a reasonable compromise, these would be 1/50th the angst going on now.
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Buying in bulk, like multiplying by 50 million iPads, and you get a much lower price.
But I see you refuse to take that into consideration, instead of citing the price we'd pay off the street, for a single unit.
Lot's of arguments, but most of them are more of the same.
One argument that I missed was: Apple doesn't publish the RAM, it just tells how great it is. (And let you decide if you want to spend your money on it). Apple don't pretend your iPad will last decades. Heck, AFAIK the average life expectancy of an iPad is 3-5 years.
Just for the sake of argument: give the iPad Pro 8Gb RAM, then it would last what, 5-8 years?! But the battery has a life expectancy of 5 years max, so that is a problem, but say you solve it by using a bigger battery. The LED's in the display will dim to 80% in about 4 years, industry standard is that beyond 80% is not acceptable. So you'll take bigger/more LED's and drive them a bit less hard, now they last longer. But bigger/more LED's need more power, so the battery gets even bigger. More sq-mm chip from upgrading the 2Gb RAM to 8Gb will also use more power, so hey-ho, make the battery again a little bit bigger.
I think a lot of people don't understand/appreciate how complex and how much compromises are made in designing the complex devices that tablets are these days.
It's very easy to comment on design decisions and say: "they cheated out, just want to make more money". And I'm sure they want to make profit (hell, they do succeed pretty well at that).
But you could give them a bit more credit then that, they have made lot's of products that lasted for years and they might have the prognosis that 2Gb of memory is all they need for the next 5 years.
One other thing I often wonder about too: if you buy an android device, you're lucky if you get an update within 6 months from your device-maker after Google released it. If you get it all.
One more thing: can the Samsung Galaxy S3 run Android 6 marshmallow? IIRC it stopped after 4.2 jelly bean.
The iPhone 4s can run iOS 9... Might not be a speed demon, but you do have the choice of upgrading.
One argument that I missed was: Apple doesn't publish the RAM, it just tells how great it is. (And let you decide if you want to spend your money on it). Apple don't pretend your iPad will last decades. Heck, AFAIK the average life expectancy of an iPad is 3-5 years.
Just for the sake of argument: give the iPad Pro 8Gb RAM, then it would last what, 5-8 years?! But the battery has a life expectancy of 5 years max, so that is a problem, but say you solve it by using a bigger battery. The LED's in the display will dim to 80% in about 4 years, industry standard is that beyond 80% is not acceptable. So you'll take bigger/more LED's and drive them a bit less hard, now they last longer. But bigger/more LED's need more power, so the battery gets even bigger. More sq-mm chip from upgrading the 2Gb RAM to 8Gb will also use more power, so hey-ho, make the battery again a little bit bigger.
I think a lot of people don't understand/appreciate how complex and how much compromises are made in designing the complex devices that tablets are these days.
It's very easy to comment on design decisions and say: "they cheated out, just want to make more money". And I'm sure they want to make profit (hell, they do succeed pretty well at that).
But you could give them a bit more credit then that, they have made lot's of products that lasted for years and they might have the prognosis that 2Gb of memory is all they need for the next 5 years.
One other thing I often wonder about too: if you buy an android device, you're lucky if you get an update within 6 months from your device-maker after Google released it. If you get it all.
One more thing: can the Samsung Galaxy S3 run Android 6 marshmallow? IIRC it stopped after 4.2 jelly bean.
The iPhone 4s can run iOS 9... Might not be a speed demon, but you do have the choice of upgrading.
Did you even bother to read the links I posted of the PARTS COST FROM THE IPHONE. It has nothing to do with "street" price, no clue what you're talking about. There is no "street" price for those parts, they arent sold to the public to begin with.
It was bulk cost of the parts of what the device costs to build from actual people who know what they're talking about.
But do tell since you think you know more than the people in the actual supply chain supplying the prices to the tech sites.
But it's ok I get it around here, if you're ok with an Apple product you're called a fanboy and apologist even when staring in the face of facts.
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Sadly with the tone all too many self righteous people take today, it wasn't obvious that you were being sarcastic. I also thought you were serious and thought you were a lunatic.