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Should Apple double the RAM in next year’s iPhones and iPads? [Poll]

ram

2 x 1GB RAM in iPad Air 2 shown in orange (ifixit.com)

A Taiwanese financial news site cited by Apple Toolbox claims that Apple plans to double the RAM in next year’s iPhones from 1GB to 2GB, and the iPad Air from 2GB to 4GB.

As sources of Apple-related news goes, the citation has to rank somewhere in the Digitimes arena, but it was a Taiwanese supply-chain rumor (dart throwing?) that correctly predicted the previous RAM doubling from 1GB in the original iPad Air to 2GB in the iPad Air 2 – albeit a prediction made rather closer to launch … 

Apple has always been somewhat stingy with RAM compared to similarly high-end Android devices, but a direct comparison is unfair. The tight integration between hardware and software has enabled Apple to maximize the efficient use of RAM. And while the financial cost of adding a further 1-2GB of RAM is small, additional RAM also consumes more power.

The power consumption difference isn’t significant in standby mode, but does become a little more so during read and write operations. We’re still talking small differences, but for the iPad in particular where all-day battery-life has long been a key attraction of the device, each individual power-saving adds up.

That said, there’s no doubt that the 2GB RAM in the iPad Air 2 made a real difference. I’ve definitely seen reduced page refreshing when running multiple tabs in Safari since upgrading from the original Air, and judging from the number of threads in the Apple Support Communities, there is certainly demand for the same on the iPhone.

If you’ve upgraded to the iPad Air 2, have you noticed a real improvement? And for iPhone owners, how big a deal would it be to get more RAM? As ever, let us know your views in the poll and comments.

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Comments

  1. OneOkami (@OneOkami) - 9 years ago

    I certainly wouldn’t complain about it. The iPad in particular really needed a memory bump and I actually held out on getting my Air 2 until I knew it’d gotten one. Like you said, it has made a world of difference. The amount of tab refreshing has been significantly reduced, I’ve noticed less re-caching of smart images for my Lightroom Mobile library and it has been very pleasant to minimize games then open them back up hours later and find it stayed right there frozen in state the entire time.

    Based on my experience with the iPad Air 2 I don’t feel particularly in need for more memory at this point, but I wouldn’t complain about the iPhone getting a bump (even though I don’t really find its memory management getting the way of my user experience much)

  2. Douglas Brace - 9 years ago

    I have an iPhone 6 (not a Plus) and an iPad Air 2. The 2 GB RAM upgrade has been noticeable on the iPad Air 2 but I also don’t leave a lot of different apps running in the background or multiple tabs in either Safari or Chrome.

    Through all the different generations of Apple mobile devices I never really left a lot of apps running in the background. I’d rather deal with the extra time of loading to have a fresh session of the app loading. I also don’t have a lot of notifications setup. The only notifications I allow are for emails, various messaging systems, and directions. I’m the same way with my Windows and Apple laptops and desktops at work and at home.

    I don’t think the next iPad Air needs 4 GB of RAM. I do think that the next iPhone needs 2 GB. Upgrading the iPhone but not the iPad was not an option in the poll.

  3. Omar Sharif - 9 years ago

    I don’t see Apple upgrading the RAM in the iPad to 4GB anytime soon
    However , 2GB RAM with the 6s/7 seems like a reasonable upgrade

  4. hungarianhc - 9 years ago

    This poll is awkward. Who would actually PREFER less?

    • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

      Preferring less is not an option in the poll ..

      • Sam Richard - 9 years ago

        I think the argument is; ask a person if they’d like 2 apples versus 1 apple and they’d (more than likely) all say “I want 2!”.

        It’s not enough that the RAM it better utilised, but rather that there “should” be more of it.

        This is always a major bone of contention between the Samsung and Apple folk I know; my S5 has a gagillionGB of RAM, your pony 6 Plus has 1! … So why then does the 6 Plus perform at the same level if not better than the S5?

        More numbers in people’s minds means better.

      • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

        What we’re interested in is how much of a priority this is for people – high, medium or low. I completely agree that lots of people buy numbers, it’s why I’m impressed that Apple has protected pixel density on the camera sensor by not getting into the stupidly counter-productive megapixel race.

      • lagax - 9 years ago

        It Schould be though! It’s completely reasonable. The iPhone 6 runs great and I have never had any problems with it.

        More RAM -> More battery consumption

        I think we can all agree that the iPhone’s battery life has to improve dramatically!

      • Scott (@ScooterComputer) - 9 years ago

        @lagax
        “More RAM -> More battery consumption”

        This…the misconception that just WILL NOT DIE! EVAR!

        Yes, more active RAM means more power consumption. However it is a misconception that the increase is SIGNIFICANT enough to be non-neglible.

        First off, there are technological cures, such as RAM with the ability for banks to be dynamically powered up and down. If you’re not running a lot of apps, the OS could power down the second bank of RAM and drop back to 1GB. No power loss at all. When you start firing up lots of apps or lots of Safari tab, the bank is reawakened and thrown into use. Power is only consumed when needed. Apple could implement this easily, they own the entire “stack”. They haven’t, which tells me the energy use of a second bank of RAM isn’t THAT much of a drain.

        Second, you have to look at the power consumption holistically. That RAM doesn’t exist in a vacuum, it exists on a package of some sort. And what you find, if you read the engineering docs, is that given the same package of RAM, one with 1GB and the other with 2GB, the energy consumption is LARGELY THE SAME, due to inefficiencies in the packaging itself. In the case of the iPad Air 2, Apple actually went to using TWO separate RAM chips, so they actually took the most INEFFICIENT route possible. That’s curious, considering the argument at hand. If power drain was such an issue, why go the least efficient solution? Ahhhhh, separate packages is also the least costly. Get the drift? The entire argument is starting to fall apart.

        Third, in keeping with the holistic approach, you have to look at the power consumption of the RAM, packing and all, in line with ALL THE REST OF THE SYSTEM. Compared to the CPU, the LCD and backlight, and wireless (Cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) chipsets, the RAM is a DISTANT…probably fourth, considering that the flash memory likely eats more power. The CPU, LCD, and wireless chipsets use nearly a MAGNITUDE greater power than the RAM; which basically means the RAM is negligible, even with packing and multiple packages taken into account.

        Which leads to, finally, one has to look at the energy “efficiency” of Apple’s CURRENT paradigm in dealing with lack of RAM: dumping pages from RAM. When iOS runs out of RAM, it gets pretty damn draconian. It doesn’t use flash (SSD) for virtual memory swap backing, like OS X does, so when it runs out, it RUNS OUT. That directly translates into a SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER utilization of flash (SSD) and wireless chipset, since iOS has to—over and over and over—dump an app’s pages from RAM and reload them from flash (every time you see an app’s splash screen) along with repull their internet content when you switch between apps. Keep in mind that Safari now treats each tab as a process, so when iOS runs out of RAM, those processes get purged along with everything else. Add in iOS’s bloat (more background processes running, constantly, even if you don’t require them or want them; Mail.app, for instance), and that leaves precious less RAM to begin with. So then, all of this purging because of lack of RAM is causing the much-more-power-hungry SSD and wireless radios to burn A LOT MORE as you switch back and forth between Facebook and Safari and YouTube and Messages and Facebook Messenger and Mail and Phone.app…I hope you get the idea. The RAM’s power consumption PALES next to all THAT mess. Not to mention the bloated usage of the user’s data plan. The argument is dead, Jim. Dead.

        So, please…if you don’t know about such things (electrical computer engineering), stop promulgating this bullshit tome. Yes, more RAM typically uses more power, all other things kept equal; but the truth is MUCH different, much more complex. Having more RAM is MUCH better, and the iPad Air 2 proves that point viciously. Since Apple doesn’t design for after-sale expansion of RAM, lack of RAM also becomes a useful technique to regulate sales, what some call “planned obsolescence”.

        For the record, anyone notice that those vaunted Apple engineers working in an entire whole ‘nother package of RAM and a bigger, faster CPU, AND A SMALLER BATTERY, and STILL kept basically the same running “life”? The RAM just wasn’t that much of a factor. Seriously. The RAM is all about the money (which you pay to them), not the electrons (which you pay the power company for).

      • lagax - 9 years ago

        @ScooterComputer let’s pretend you’re right in all the other points, your point about “planned obsolescence” is completely wrong, as apple doesn’t need to do that hardware-side. They just don’t support old devices anymore. And prActIcally NOBODY would ever say: ‘OK I’m buying an iPhone 6s because it has more RAM’. People just can’t be so dumb.

      • giskardian - 9 years ago

        @Lovejoy: RAM is not comparable to camera sensor megapixels, lol. RAM actually enables one to run more tasks faster.

        Still, if given the choice between more RAM or more aggressive NAND caching of Safari tabs, I’d choose the latter. My guess is Apple must keep NAND caches small as long as they gimp devices with only 16GB of it, so if that is the case, then we need 3-4GB RAM minimum.

        I’ll admit to be biased however since I currently own three Macs with a combined total of 48GB RAM :P In my experience one can never have “too much” RAM in OS X – I can even fill up my Mac Pro’s 24GB with only Mail and Safari running, and multiple tabs run faster with all that RAM!

      • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

        My point there is that it’s about more than the numbers. With cameras, sensor size and lens quality are more important than pixels; with RAM, how efficiently the RAM is used is as important as the raw number.

        I agree, though, on RAM in OS X: I have 16GB on my MBP17, though am impressed how well my MBA11 does with only 4GB.

      • @lagax

        Let’s pretend that you have no clue what you’re talking about. Oh wait, we don’t have to pretend. Battery life WILL NEVER be affected by having more RAM. You really should learn more about computers before being so arrogant. Apple DOES have planned obsolescence in their products, they exist as a company to get you to buy their products. iOS 8 is a perfect example. If I want an iPad that doesn’t run like dogshit then I’ll have to buy a new one because Apple REFUSES to let me downgrade to a version that doesn’t effectively make it useless. Apple FORCED me to stay on an OS that doesn’t work and I can’t do anything about it.

      • rzozaya1969 - 9 years ago

        I think that most Apple users are not that tech minded as Android, so I think that the answers would be ‘I have no idea why it would be good, but more is always good’, more than an informed answer. I think it would always be good to expand memory because it leaves the option open to more complex applications. Maybe for browsing, mail and whatsapp 1Mb is good, but moving forward applications will be more complex.

      • lagax - 9 years ago

        Battery life is always affected by Having more RAM. AT LEAST in theory it is. If it doesn’t turn out to be like this in practical usage that’s something different. But more RAM in general consumes more battery.

        How can one be so dumb? Me: “your point about “planned obsolescence” is completely wrong, as apple doesn’t need to do that hardware-side. They just don’t support old devices anymore. ” You: “They do have planned obsolence!” … Have you even read what I said. YES they have. LOGICALLY they have. They’re not dumb. But mostly they do it software-side and just don’t support old devices anymore. That was my point and it’s undoubtable.

        And who still uses iPads? It’s not 2010. (Please just take this as it was supposed to be taken, as humor. Don’t write “there are a lot of people”. It was just a joke.)

  5. 89p13 - 9 years ago

    “1 is good / 2 is better” – More is ALWAYS Better! At the cost of RAM these days,why not build in some “headroom” for new software developments – Wait, that might hurt the upgrade cycle that we follow. ;)

  6. I’d prefer 4GB on the next iPhone myself. It’s better suited to the level of performance of the processor. 1GB is a total joke.

  7. dugbug - 9 years ago

    Also next summer all apps have to be 64bit. This will free up lots of ram on the 5s and up not carrying around Copies of services in 32bit

  8. Eduardo Forneck - 9 years ago

    Apple already should have doubled iPhone memory, at least with the 6. Next year, w/ 2 GB of RAM iOS will have more features and use more RAM, the same for the apps that will take advantage of the extra memory to add features to the apps. so, devices with 1 GB will struggle to run iOS 9 and the apps updated for 2 GB devices (same thing happened w/ 4s when 5 was introduced), so you will experience lots of crashes, even more page refresh, slowdowns, all that “good” stuff…now say “thank you Apple for the 1 GB in our iPhone 6!!”

    PS.: more RAM do use more power, but only for light usage, heavy users would experience better battery because since there’s more ram, less informations needs to be reloaded from de flash and less content needs to be reloaded (using wifi/3g/4g).

    • lagax - 9 years ago

      iPhone 6 will run iOS 9 very fast, just like iPhone 4S ran iOS 6.

  9. Jonathan Llamas - 9 years ago

    I wouldn’t mind having 2GB of RAM on the next iPhone. At least this way Android user won’t complain that “Well, iPhone only has a measly 1GB of RAM while my Galaxy Note 4 has 3GB of RAM.”

    • lagax - 9 years ago

      If somebody sais that just tell them “I’ll never talk with you about Technology again.”

  10. a2thek - 9 years ago

    I was disappointed to find out that the iphone 6 (especially the plus) did not include 2 GB Ram. I knew right away they were sandbagging for the ‘S’ version. My Plus has experienced minor lagging and freezing already when I have multiple apps running.

    I bought the Air 2 and was very pleased with the RAM increase so much so I almost sold my iPhone 6+. Apple can use integration as the excuse for the lack of RAM in previous models but this was an obvious move to keep the shelf life of the massive 6 upgrades to a minimal. I think 2 GB of Ram could extend the 6 usage cycle another 2 years. This was a strategic move on Apple’s part to force this massive wave of 6 purchasers and upgrades to buy again in 2 years.

    • coolfactor - 9 years ago

      It’s _so_ easy to quit and launch apps, I wonder why more people don’t quit apps that they are not actively using? I absolutely must in order for my aging iPhone 4 to run without being frustratingly slow.

      • I shouldn’t have to manage the apps I have open on a device that expensive and “user friendly” as the iPhone is claimed to be. It needs more RAM, there’s no valid argument otherwise.

  11. standardpull - 9 years ago

    I’d be ok with them doubling or even quint uplink the RAM. As long as developers don’t abuse it and it has no significant negatives, I think they should load it up as much as possible.

    With android the issue is misuse. Developers eat anything available and the Android OS has no way to manage abusers. That’s why Android has to offer Top and other system utilities.

    • giskardian - 9 years ago

      Well my Nexus 7 with 2GB of RAM can keep more browser tabs active than can my iPhone 6+ with 1GB RAM, so there are real-world benefits to more RAM.

      In fact as far as I can tell, my Nexus 7 has always behaved like a device with twice as much RAM as my iPhone 6+. It’s just a better device when it comes to switching between multiple apps.

  12. taoprophet420 - 9 years ago

    2 GB in the Air 2 has been very noticeble over the the original Air. Must have of you have already stated the improvements.

    If, Apple does true split screen multitasking and other iPad specific tweaks. The. Yes the next iPads should come with 4 GB of ram. Also I see the 12″ iPad getting 4 GB early next year, so yet iPads will get 4 GB of ram.

    With iPhone and 2GB I think it depends on what features they add to iOS or tweaks for the iPhone plus. I don’t think 2 GB is needed now based on my 6 plus, but can see it being needed with multitasking or other iOS features being added.

  13. kliffy77 - 9 years ago

    Would be perfect

  14. hmurchison - 9 years ago

    More RAM would be nice but the limitation in iOS devices is rapidly becoming the slow speed of the SSD. I suspect Apple moves to eMMC 5.0 with the next lineup. More RAM would simply be the icing on the cake.

  15. coolfactor - 9 years ago

    The downside of increasing resources (eg. storage, memory) for the sake of bigger numbers is that developers get lazy. That is a fact! And soon 2GB or 4GB won’t be enough because apps have become unnecessarily wasteful with such resources. So if you want an increase in RAM, pressure your favourite developers to _lower_ their own memory consumption thereby freeing up existing memory for other apps.

    Which application did The Woz write in assembly code in order for it to run well with the available RAM on the first Mac? Any history buffs out there?

  16. giskardian - 9 years ago

    I didn’t vote because my choice isn’t listed ;)

    I say NO, they should NOT double the RAM. They should triple it to 3GB on phones and quadruple it to 4GB on iPads. I keep seeing apologists claim that 1GB of Apple RAM is equal to 4GB of Android RAM, ok, so let’s see a 4GB iPad that effectively has four times the memory of a 4GB Android tablet!

    With this hardware change, iOS needs support for multiple user accounts (at least on iPads). It’s ridiculous for Apple to be behind Android on this given the support for user accounts in OS X. Many families don’t have the money to buy an Air for all family members, so make it easy to share with extra user accounts.

    For multi-user support NAND will need to be doubled as well to 32(64) GB, 128 GB, and 256GB. Next year is too soon for this to be economically feasable but maybe in 2016…

  17. There’s no justifiable reason to not at the least double the RAM. iOS has done a great job so far at making it transparent to the user that it needs to manage RAM, but with iOS being such a buggy and terrible update the flaws are starting to show. The iOS family of devices should have had at the least two gigs of RAM with iOS 7. I just got my 6 Plus today and it’s very easy to see that the phone is terribly starved for RAM. The power consumption argument is completely baseless. iOS already has good battery management and I’d take an immeasurable battery penalty to not see everything I do on my phone take a few seconds to respond. More RAM is a priority and if it doesn’t happen with the next iPhone update and the next iOS update doesn’t take advantage of it then I won’t buy an iPhone again. iOS has pretty much ruined my iPad 3 and I still see bugs, hitches, pausing and general unresponsiveness with my 6 Plus. I tried three times to use Control Center to turn on my light to see something in the street and not only did my phone not respond to the swipe, I had to unlock and relock it twice to get it to respond. That’s not a RAM issue, but if iOS 8 can’t have something as simple as swiping work 100% of the time then I have absolutely no faith that iOS 9 won’t be a stuttering mess with only a paltry one gig of RAM.

  18. Josh (@joshuakoby) - 9 years ago

    I think it would be great if Apple bumped up the RAM on the next-gen iPad, but I don’t really think it’s necessary for the iPhone. All those extra pixels could use some extra oomph. I’m using an iPhone 5, and the 1GB if RAM isn’t giving me any problems, so if I had to choose between refreshing Safari tabs more often or a shorter battery life, I’d go with refreshing.

  19. SKR Imaging - 9 years ago

    If this prediction is true, Apple may finally embrace true multitasking in the next iOS 9.. I am on iPad 3 right now and did not upgrade to ipad Air 1 because of RAM 1GB.. if WWDC announces a true multitask (split screen, I am surely going to upgrade.. maybe the 4GB Ram will be a feature of the iPAd pro and next iPAd Air will keep 2GB.. if so, iPad pro it is for me..

  20. charilaosmulder - 9 years ago

    Of course more RAM has its benefits but I think there should be inferior devices with less resources for developers because they tend to get sloppy with current resources. The iPhone 4 is worthless now even with the most basic apps, the 4S is almost at that stage and the iPhone 5 is not a great experience either anymore on iOS 8. End users should always be the ones who should get the most benefits of better hw.

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Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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