Apple has broken its usual silence on some of its devices’ tech specs and officially confirmed that all models of the iPhone 16 lineup, including the non-Pro versions, have 8 GB of RAM.
This decision marks a significant change from the previous generation.
Why it matters. The increase in memory on the standard models, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, from 6 GB to 8 GB, puts them on par with the Pro models. Most importantly, this enhancement enables the implementation of Apple Intelligence.
In summary:
- iPhone 15 and 15 Plus: 6 GB of RAM
- iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max: 8 GB of RAM
- iPhone 16 and 16 Plus: 8 GB of RAM (previously 6 GB)
- iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max: 8 GB (no change)
Some context. In an interview with the tech YouTube channel Geekerwan, Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware technologies, explained that the company decided to increase RAM to 8 GB across the line primarily to enable Apple Intelligence.
According to Srouji:
“We have lots of data that tells us what is going to enable a certain feature, and Apple Intelligence is one of those very, very important features that we want to enable.”
What changes. Besides Apple Intelligence, the increase in RAM in the new iPhones has several direct benefits for users:
- Improved gaming performance: Srouji highlighted that high-demand games and AAA titles will perform better.
- Enhanced multitasking: With the increased RAM, users can keep more apps open in the background.
- Smoother multimedia editing: Intensive photo and video editing will benefit from the RAM increase.
- Better preparation for the future: With this RAM upgrade, the base iPhone 16 models are better equipped for upcoming iOS updates like iOS 19 and iOS 20.
Reading between the lines. Although the 8 GB of RAM offered in the new iPhone lineup is not cutting-edge compared to some Android phones, Apple argues that its vertical integration of hardware and software allows for superior optimization.
In Srouji’s own words:
“Our excellent software team will optimize not only for compute, they’ll also optimize for the memory footprint of each application so they don’t end up also wasting memory.”
Closer to the Pro model than ever before. Apple’s decision to standardize the amount of RAM across all models is narrowing the gap between the standard and Pro versions. This change could indicate a shift in the strategy of how the company differentiates its models. In the future, it may potentially focus more on differences in cameras or finishes.
In fact, the iPhone 16 may be the most advanced non-Pro model since the iPhone 12, opening the door for some regular Pro users to opt for the entry-level model.
Image | Apple
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