All iPads Will the next iPad Air 2 finally have 2 GB of memory?

[TheWheelMan]

I think the assertion that the Safari problem is a ram problem has become dogma, rather than the actual truth. I find it hard to believe that the iPad Air can easily run graphics intensive games like Infinity Blade 3, but not be able to handle a couple of open tabs in Safari. I also am not getting the browser refresh issue in Chrome. I have to force refresh the last page I was browsing whenever I open Chrome. The iPad may be throwing RAM error messages, but I think it's caused by a flaw in Safari, and I suspect that you could throw 10 GB into the iPad and still get the same errors.

 

[kramjam]

The iPad definitely could use some more RAM. It's frustrating playing a game like Hearthstone, switching to Safari to get some information about the game, and then switching back to the game to find the whole application reloads, losing your progress. I love my iPad but it's quirks like this that keep me coming back to my computer for intense browsing and multitasking.

 

[Night Spring]

The iPad definitely could use some more RAM. It's frustrating playing a game like Hearthstone, switching to Safari to get some information about the game, and then switching back to the game to find the whole application reloads, losing your progress. I love my iPad but it's quirks like this that keep me coming back to my computer for intense browsing and multitasking.

Apps reloading after you switch away and come back may be a RAM problem, but losing your progress is an app design problem. Mobile apps should be designed so that you don't lose progress if it shuts down, because no matter how much RAM you throw at it, background apps will get shut down from time to time. It's just a factor of how people use mobile devices -- they start something, get a call or message, have to look up something in order to answer, pretty soon you've opened four or five apps and the original app has shut down. Good app design should take situatuions like this into account.

 

[Dmunjal]

Apps reloading after you switch away and come back may be a RAM problem, but losing your progress is an app design problem. Mobile apps should be designed so that you don't lose progress if it shuts down, because no matter how much RAM you throw at it, background apps will get shut down from time to time. It's just a factor of how people use mobile devices -- they start something, get a call or message, have to look up something in order to answer, pretty soon you've opened four or five apps and the original app has shut down. Good app design should take situatuions like this into account.

So are you going to blame the developer of Safari? Apple?

They have had plenty of time to fix this issue. It wasn't as bad in iOS 6 or on the iPad 4.

 

[Buddygor]

Uh, no.

RAM is one of the biggest power consumers on a device that is always on like a phone or tablet because it must ALWAYS be powered. Even when the device is sleeping, it draws exactly the same power as when active. This is why your laptop consumes comparatively large amounts of power when sleeping as opposed to in deep sleep or hibernate where the contents of RAM are saved to disk.

If you want a device that has virtually zero sleeping power draw like the iPad does, you need to be very careful about RAM power consumption.

RAM is pretty much not a factor in battery life. Chips require just sips of power to operate, and it's not like Apple uses some blazing fast RAM technology that DOES use a lot of power.

The screen, cameras (when in use), and processor/GPU are the big ones. No one ever worries that adding more RAM will waste power.

 

[Donka]

RAM is pretty much not a factor in battery life. Chips require just sips of power to operate, and it's not like Apple uses some blazing fast RAM technology that DOES use a lot of power.

The screen, cameras (when in use), and processor/GPU are the big ones. No one ever worries that adding more RAM will waste power.

It does when the device is sleeping.

 

[Night Spring]

So are you going to blame the developer of Safari? Apple?

They have had plenty of time to fix this issue. It wasn't as bad in iOS 6 or on the iPad 4.

Safari? Sure, I do think there' something weird going on with that, especially given the reports that third-party browsers like Chrome don't have the problem. And I have no idea why Apple hasn't fixed it yet. But just because Apple designed one app badly doesn't mean other developers have to follow suit.

 

[mangomind]

The iPad definitely could use some more RAM. It's frustrating playing a game like Hearthstone, switching to Safari to get some information about the game, and then switching back to the game to find the whole application reloads, losing your progress. I love my iPad but it's quirks like this that keep me coming back to my computer for intense browsing and multitasking.

This is exactly what irks me the most. This did not happen to the iPads 2-4 when they were released. Back then, iOS used up less RAM and app developers coded their apps to use less RAM. Now, iOS 7 uses much more RAM, iOS 7 Safari uses more RAM, and many app developers update their apps to use more RAM.

In addition to the slowdown when loading the app again, I also lose my spot on a web pages and videos, and text entered on a form is lost. Granted, some apps save your spot for you, but many do not. A paging file would accomplish the exact same result (slow load but saves your spot) without the developer adding additional functionality. I compared this situation to other devices: A computer has more RAM and a paging file, a surface RT has more RAM and a paging file, and this situation occurs on a 2GB Android tablet much less often.

 

[Count Blah]

I think the assertion that the Safari problem is a ram problem has become dogma, rather than the actual truth. I find it hard to believe that the iPad Air can easily run graphics intensive games like Infinity Blade 3, but not be able to handle a couple of open tabs in Safari.
...

You are comparing two different things. When it comes to graphics intensive games, the games are built with certain specs in mind - You will NEVER get more than X amount of RAM, due to the OS taking Y, and the need to allow for cushion Z - all totaling up to Approx. 1 Gig of RAM.

But when it comes to safari, you have dozens of tabs you can open, each can be obnoxiously large web pages. But in reality, you can get safari refreshing two tabs in no time flat. Yes, that points to memory leaks, but anyone sporting 2 gigs of RAM on Mac can tell you, that once you hit a certain level, it's swapping crappy performance, and beachball city with a browser. But bump it up to 4 gigs of RAM, and it's smooth sailing. But yet for some strange reason, the die-hard apple backers refuse to acknowledge the immediate benefits. They would rather claim hardware issues, and/or excuse poor customer experiences away.

I don't know why.

 

[zhenya]

RAM is pretty much not a factor in battery life. Chips require just sips of power to operate, and it's not like Apple uses some blazing fast RAM technology that DOES use a lot of power.

The screen, cameras (when in use), and processor/GPU are the big ones. No one ever worries that adding more RAM will waste power.

Then it's clear that you don't understand the issue. RAM is a huge power user because it is powered ALL OF THE TIME. Even when the screen is off, and the CPU and GPU are powered down. RAM is the #1 power consumer when the device is sleeping.

Why does your laptop only last a day or so on battery when it's in sleep mode? Because all that ram is using power all the time.

Standby battery life is DIRECTLY proportional to how much power your RAM is using, so twice the RAM means HALF the standby time.

Again, we'll see more RAM when Apple can get the power consumption to an acceptable range.

 

[Dmunjal]

Then it's clear that you don't understand the issue. RAM is a huge power user because it is powered ALL OF THE TIME. Even when the screen is off, and the CPU and GPU are powered down. RAM is the #1 power consumer when the device is sleeping.

Why does your laptop only last a day or so on battery when it's in sleep mode? Because all that ram is using power all the time.

Standby battery life is DIRECTLY proportional to how much power your RAM is using, so twice the RAM means HALF the standby time.

Again, we'll see more RAM when Apple can get the power consumption to an acceptable range.

If I took a vote, I would bet most would take the extra gig of RAM for half of the standby time. As long as it still lasts a day of use, I don't care how long it lasts in standby mode.

Btw, my laptop with 12GB of RAM stays in standby (not hibernate) mode for days.

 

[zhenya]

If I took a vote, I would bet most would take the extra gig of RAM for half of the standby time. As long as it still lasts a day of use, I don't care how long it lasts in standby mode.

Btw, my laptop with 12GB of RAM stays in standby (not hibernate) mode for days.

Most here might, because they honestly think that extra ram will fix all of their ills. I'm not very sure about that. I have one of the newest Samsung tablets with 2GB of RAM. It still reloads pages after a couple of tabs are open, and does so MUCH more slowly than an iPad.

Low standby drain is one of the things that makes a device like the iPad so appliance-like. I can reliably know that even with only 10-20% battery left, I still have hours of use and can leave it sitting for days and it will still be ready to go. I don't think I'd give up that piece of mind for more RAM that may or may not help things.

Many modern laptops have hybrid sleep modes that drastically cut power consumption at the cost of slightly longer wake times. Further, even a couple of days of standby is nothing compared to the month or so we currently get with an iPad.

 

[Dmunjal]

Most here might, because they honestly think that extra ram will fix all of their ills. I'm not very sure about that. I have one of the newest Samsung tablets with 2GB of RAM. It still reloads pages after a couple of tabs are open, and does so MUCH more slowly than an iPad.

Low standby drain is one of the things that makes a device like the iPad so appliance-like. I can reliably know that even with only 10-20% battery left, I still have hours of use and can leave it sitting for days and it will still be ready to go. I don't think I'd give up that piece of mind for more RAM that may or may not help things.

Many modern laptops have hybrid sleep modes that drastically cut power consumption at the cost of slightly longer wake times. Further, even a couple of days of standby is nothing compared to the month or so we currently get with an iPad.

When it is down to 10-20%, why wouldn't you just charge it? The point is that the extra RAM benefits you while you're using the device. The lack of extra RAM benefits you when you are NOT using the device. Isn't it obvious which one is better? Or did you buy an iPad to just leave on the desk for days. Unplugged?

 

[zhenya]

When it is down to 10-20%, why wouldn't you just charge it? The point is that the extra RAM benefits you while you're using the device. The lack of extra RAM benefits you when you are NOT using the device. Isn't it obvious which one is better? Or did you buy an iPad to just leave on the desk for days. Unplugged?

Because charging it religiously is something one does with devices that have poor and/or unpredictable battery life. When my iPad routinely goes 5-10 days without charging, it just becomes something I never think of. And that kind of 'always ready' utility is a large part of what makes it such a great device.

Do I want the benefits that might come from more RAM? Yes. But I'm not interested in markedly changing the current behavior of the device to get it.

 

[Dmunjal]

Because charging it religiously is something one does with devices that have poor and/or unpredictable battery life. When my iPad routinely goes 5-10 days without charging, it just becomes something I never think of. And that kind of 'always ready' utility is a large part of what makes it such a great device.

Do I want the benefits that might come from more RAM? Yes. But I'm not interested in markedly changing the current behavior of the device to get it.

Interesting. I always charge to 100% overnight regardless of the level. The reason I do this is I can't predict my usage during the day and sometimes I may need the full 100% before I unplug. Waking up with 30-40% and running out in the middle of the day would be a problem.

Give me the RAM and I'll deal with the power issues. The iPad has plenty of battery to spare.

 

[Night Spring]

Interesting. I always charge to 100% overnight regardless of the level. The reason I do this is I can't predict my usage during the day and sometimes I may need the full 100% before I unplug. Waking up with 30-40% and running out in the middle of the day would be a problem.

Give me the RAM and I'll deal with the power issues. The iPad has plenty of battery to spare.

But if you get on a 10 hour airplane flight, what happens? Right now, you charge the iPad to a 100% before you get on the plane. You read some books, play some games, watch a movie, battery's down to, say, 70%. You go to sleep and wake up as the plane is landing, you still have, say, 60% battery left. Do the same thing with more RAM, and you might have only 40% left when the plane lands. If it takes a long time to get through customs and retrieve your luggage, your iPad could run out of battery right as you are riding your cab into the city and need the map to find your destination.

It's this kind of extra "cushion" on the battery life that makes the iPad a joy to use. Yes, under regular use, it's possible to charge it every night, but it know that if I'm taking a long trip and won't be near an outlet for a while, I can stretch it out and make it last two days. For that, I don't mind having Safari reload tabs. And anyway, Safari reloading tabs is about the only drawback I see from having only 1GB of RAM. Other than that, I don't have any complaints about the iPad's performance.

 

[mangomind]

The reason I do this is I can't predict my usage during the day and sometimes I may need the full 100% before I unplug.

To use the full 100% in one day, how long do you use your iPad?

 

[Night Spring]

To use the full 100% in one day, how long do you use your iPad?

They didn't say they use 100% in a day. They said if they don't charge it and start off a day with 30-40%, they might run out in the middle of the day.

I've managed to use a 100% in a day, by using it constantly all day and putting it down only when eating. But it still lasted me from, say, 8am to 12pm.

 

[Dmunjal]

They didn't say they use 100% in a day. They said if they don't charge it and start off a day with 30-40%, they might run out in the middle of the day.

I've managed to use a 100% in a day, by using it constantly all day and putting it down only when eating. But it still lasted me from, say, 8am to 12pm.

Exactly.

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But if you get on a 10 hour airplane flight, what happens? Right now, you charge the iPad to a 100% before you get on the plane. You read some books, play some games, watch a movie, battery's down to, say, 70%. You go to sleep and wake up as the plane is landing, you still have, say, 60% battery left. Do the same thing with more RAM, and you might have only 40% left when the plane lands. If it takes a long time to get through customs and retrieve your luggage, your iPad could run out of battery right as you are riding your cab into the city and need the map to find your destination.

It's this kind of extra "cushion" on the battery life that makes the iPad a joy to use. Yes, under regular use, it's possible to charge it every night, but it know that if I'm taking a long trip and won't be near an outlet for a while, I can stretch it out and make it last two days. For that, I don't mind having Safari reload tabs. And anyway, Safari reloading tabs is about the only drawback I see from having only 1GB of RAM. Other than that, I don't have any complaints about the iPad's performance.

This goes against what you said earlier. There is no way an extra gig of RAM will affect the battery by 20% during usage. The screen eats up the battery by far when it's on. I agree about the standby time, though. Either way, the extra RAM is an easy tradeoff.

 

[Night Spring]

This goes against what you said earlier. There is no way an extra gig of RAM will affect the battery by 20% during usage. The screen eats up the battery by far when it's on. I agree about the standby time, though. Either way, the extra RAM is an easy tradeoff.

I thought the argument was that double the RAM will double the battery usage during standby. Therefore, in my hypothetical airplane flight, if you sleep for five hours on the plane, the battery would deplete 20%, instead of just 10%, while you were sleeping.

Not that I've measured battery standby time, so maybe it's more like 5 hours standby is 1%, and doubling the RAM will make that 2%. In which case, yes, the drawbacks from increasing RAM would be negligible.

 

[Count Blah]

But if you get on a 10 hour airplane flight, what happens? Right now, you charge the iPad to a 100% before you get on the plane. You read some books, play some games, watch a movie, battery's down to, say, 70%. You go to sleep and wake up as the plane is landing, you still have, say, 60% battery left. Do the same thing with more RAM, and you might have only 40% left when the plane lands. If it takes a long time to get through customs and retrieve your luggage, your iPad could run out of battery right as you are riding your cab into the city and need the map to find your destination.

It's this kind of extra "cushion" on the battery life that makes the iPad a joy to use. Yes, under regular use, it's possible to charge it every night, but it know that if I'm taking a long trip and won't be near an outlet for a while, I can stretch it out and make it last two days. For that, I don't mind having Safari reload tabs. And anyway, Safari reloading tabs is about the only drawback I see from having only 1GB of RAM. Other than that, I don't have any complaints about the iPad's performance.

In the one or two times I will be in that situation in the lifetime of owning my iPad, I'll bring along a book. In the thousands of times I use the iPad NOT in that situation, I'll take the extra ram.

 

[KhunJay]

I think they will listen to you guys and put 2gigs of ram.

 

[Rodster]

I think they will listen to you guys and put 2gigs of ram.

Well they should since the competition offers better specs at a lower price point.

 

[Skika]

i think they will listen to common sense and put 2gigs of ram.

ftfy

 

[kasakka]

Safari? Sure, I do think there' something weird going on with that, especially given the reports that third-party browsers like Chrome don't have the problem. And I have no idea why Apple hasn't fixed it yet. But just because Apple designed one app badly doesn't mean other developers have to follow suit.

Chrome seems to have the exact same issue. See this thread. Even Google seems to acknowledge that it is indeed a hardware limitation (most likely limited RAM, though they don't directly say it).

That said, it is also a browser issue. Ideally, the browser should save things like form content, scroll position etc. somewhere and tell the system to keep this in memory (or save it to flash) so even if unwanted page refreshes happen, anything you were working with won't be lost.

Does the iPad Air use DDR3? I imagine moving to DDR4 would negate the battery drain of increased memory so perhaps Apple are waiting for that.