Apple introduced the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max last year with 8GB RAM, making it the first time since the iPhone 14 lineup that the company exceeded the 6GB RAM limit. However, with on-device AI and other features being extremely memory-intensive, the company will have little choice but to introduce an upgrade. Sadly, those waiting impatiently for the iPhone 16 launch will be disappointed as one analyst predicts that 12GB RAM will debut on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Apple is also exploring increasing the storage, starting with the iPhone 16 series; company might retain those configurations for the iPhone 17
The iPhone 16 might be the first recipient of Apple’s upcoming AI-powered software suite, but Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu believes that those wishing to elevate their experience when it comes to RAM should wait for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. As reported by AppleInsider, the 2025 models could see their specifications go from 8GB RAM to 12GB RAM, resulting in a slew of improvements, starting with multitasking. The increased memory count will allow apps to be stored in RAM when minimized and restored in the exact same state that the user left it in.
Additionally, running on-device AI requires gobs of memory, with an earlier estimation stating that Android smartphone makers would eventually have to start offering 20GB RAM as standard to comfortably run Large Language Models (LLMs) locally. Apple has been reported to be working on a way to run these LLMs using the device’s flash memory instead of RAM. Unfortunately, from the looks of it, the Cupertino giant still has a ton of progress left because the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max may feature that 12GB RAM upgrade.
On-device AI also requires a ton of internal storage with fast read and write speeds to perform trillions of calculations per second. This might be why Apple could introduce Quad-level cell (QLC) NAND flash to the iPhone 16, as this technology allows more bits to be stored per cell, resulting in more storage on the same surface area. However, where the advantage here is that you get more onboard memory, the drawback is that QLC NAND flash is less durable than Triple-level cell or Multi-level cell technology. Another benefit of the 12GB RAM upgrade for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max is gaming performance.
Apple has proven that the A17 Pro on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max can run AAA games, but that bump in memory means that developers would have additional freedom to bring high-level textures to the iOS port. With Resident Evil Village, we previously reported that Capcom’s 2021 survivor-horror title can consume up to 11GB of video memory on the 16GB unified RAM version of the M2 iPad Pro. However, the plus side is that the game runs at the maximum image quality and at a 2732 x 2048 resolution, going beyond the QHD limit.
With games no doubt becoming more visually impressive, their VRAM requirements will also hit the roof, and assuming that the 12GB RAM prediction comes true for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, it will not be surprising to see consumers pick these up in droves.
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
