A new leak claims that three iPhone 17 models will feature 12GB of RAM compared to their respective iPhone 16 models, leaving one with just 8GB of RAM. We have previously reported that all iPhone 17 models will be equipped with the company's A19 series of chips, including the iPhone 17 Air, which is the company's new variant that will replace the 'Plus' model in the lineup. The higher RAM count will be available on all iPhone models except for the base iPhone 17, leaving us to question if its AI performance will be capped in the future.
The iPhone 17 Air with more RAM could deliver smoother performance and better support for future AI features
According to a Weibo-based leaker known as Fixed Focus Digital, the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will be equipped with 12GB of RAM each, while the base iPhone 17 will house 8GB. The company is creating a wider gap between non-Pro iPhone models, as the iPhone 16 Plus features the exact same chip and RAM configuration as the standard model. The leaker has shared some accurate details in the past, which gives the news credibility.
If you are unfamiliar, all iPhone 16 models feature as much as 8GB of RAM, making it the first time the company would cross the limit. You can check the breakdown of the RAM configuration below for more details.
- iPhone 17 - 8GB RAM
- iPhone 17 Air - 12GB RAM
- iPhone 17 Pro - 12GB RAM
- iPhone 17 Pro Max - 12GB RAM
What's interesting is that the company has decided to upgrade the iPhone 17 Air model from the current 'Plus' model. What this means is that Apple will possibly position its ultra-thin iPhone closer to the 'Pro' models than the standard model. This also brings us to question if the price of the iPhone 17 Air will be higher than the Plus iPhone. We believe that the iPhone 17 Air will be priced similarly to the smaller iPhone 17 Pro, giving users an option to choose between performance and design.
Other than this, the base iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air are reported to feature the standard A19 chip, while the A19 Pro will be reserved for the Pro iPhones. While users will not be able to tell the performance difference between the two chips, the higher RAM count would be beneficial in handling Apple Intelligence features.
About the author: Ali Salman is a technology reporter for Wccftech mobile section with a specialized focus on Apple and the intellectual property that drives mobile innovation. He has cultivated a unique expertise in analyzing and deconstructing complex technology patents, translating dense legal and technical documents into clear, insightful reports on future products.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
