Skip to main content

Latest iPad Air 2 component leak shows A8X chip & 2GB RAM

Following component leaks over the weekend purporting to show an A8X chip and Touch ID button destined for new iPads, additional photos re-published by blog apple.club.tw point to a closer look at the modified system-on-a-chip as well as what appears to be 2GB of RAM for application memory. The purported increase in RAM on the updated tablet would double that of the current generation iPad Air (and iPhone 6 for that matter) and make more more powerful multitasking on the device.Reports from the Apple supply chain have previously claimed the new tablet slated to be announced on Thursday will feature 2GB of RAM over the 1GB in the current models while other supply chain reports have mentioned the modified A8X chip (albeit in the context of the rumored 12.9-inch iPad expected next year).

Both the A8X chip and Elpida Memory-supplied RAM (seen in the current iPad Air) can be seen up close below:

While Apple has resisted previously updating the RAM amount in previous devices including the iPad Air and iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, the increased app memory could be beneficial for future features including iPad multitasking previously reported by 9to5Mac. The iPad update is also expected to include Touch ID for use with Apple Pay as well as an improved display for outdoor viewing and a gold option.

Apple is expected to reveal the new iPad models this week on Thursday, October 16th, at a special event held at its headquarters in Cupertino, California. 9to5Mac will bring you live coverage of the news from the event.

 

 

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

  1. PMZanetti - 9 years ago

    “While Apple has resisted previously updating the RAM amount”

    Uh….where do you get that from? They haven’t ‘resisted’ anything….they include whatever is needed for the device.

    If the next iPads are going to do actual split screen multitasking, then they twice the amount of RAM as before. End of story.

    • taoprophet420 - 9 years ago

      1 GB isn’t enough ram for the Air and until Apple gets to 4 GB of ram in iDevices that won’t be taking full advantage of the 64 bit architecture.

      I have had hundreds of ram crashes on my iPad Air. With the increased resolutions of the iPhones more ram would have been nice.

      • Joefrey Kibuule - 9 years ago

        64-bit ARMv8 gains a lot from improved instruction set, not just maximum addressability of RAM.

      • rettun1 - 9 years ago

        “With the increased resolutions of the iPhones more ram would have been nice.”

        Huh?

      • PMZanetti - 9 years ago

        In your opinion, it wasn’t enough. In my opinion, it was. In my opinion, what was lacking on the Retina mini & iPad Air was a more power quad core graphics engine than what shipped in the 5s.

        And don’t rehash incorrect FUD about 64 bit needing 4 GB of RAM to matter.

      • taoprophet420 - 9 years ago

        Didn’t both 5x and 6x versions of th A chips have imroved graphics from the A5 and A6?

        More ram is a must if Apple wants to include split screen multitasking on the iPad. Again 2 open tabs in Safari shouldn’t cause ram crashes, but it has for me and other users.

    • giskardian - 9 years ago

      “they include whatever is needed for the device.”

      Hmmm, maybe that’s the problem. They should be including whatever is needed for software. Not current software, next generation software.

      Might help to keep up with Android as well. If iOS is better with less RAM, imagine how much better it would be with equal RAM…

    • mpias3785 - 9 years ago

      I’ve heard more than one developer complain about seeing many out of memory errors in crash logs. In fact I was disappointed to see only 1GB RAM in the iphone 6 models since more pixels need more RAM unless there have been improvements in VRAM I haven’t heard about.

      If no one has noticed, Apple tends to be stingy with RAM on its low end computers and only includes as much as is necessary and Apple hasn’t upgraded the iphone’s ram since the 5. My opinion is the main reason the iPads are getting more RAM is because people are keeping them longer than the two years Apple initially expected.

  2. standardpull - 9 years ago

    I’m really surprised that the Apple A8X has 2 GB of RAM. Even in a full multi-application multitasking environment, the amount of resident ram required for background processes is quite low. I suspect that the iPad will remain a single-user-at-a-time device, unlike Android which spends a lot of background threads processing on Android Malware.

    After all, iOS is very efficient at memory and CPU. It doesn’t have any of the problematic memory and process management problems that plague Android users.

    Perhaps this increase in RAM is related to capabilities in iOS 9? Only time will tell.

    • taoprophet420 - 9 years ago

      Use my iPad Air for awhile and you would see why 2 GB of ram is required.

      Split screen app environment will most likely be a selling feature of the iPad Air 2.

      • standardpull - 9 years ago

        I’m not sure why you have issues with your iPad Air. I use mine heavily, daily. No problems. Oh, and more RAM does not solve all problems. Not even close. Almost never unless you have a different problem. Operating Systems 101.

      • taoprophet420 - 9 years ago

        All the crash logs said something related to insufficient ram. I can’t tell you now since in iOS 8 Apple has removed the diagnostic & logs under the about settings.

        Ram would be needed for dual screens apps. One of the criticisms i can say as a 13 year user and owner of Apple products is they always put the bare minimum of ram on their products. The prices for increased ram have always come at a premium price.

      • taoprophet420 - 9 years ago

        The diagnostic logs are now listed under privacy setting instead of general abkut settings.

    • PMZanetti - 9 years ago

      For split screen multitasking, I imagine 2 GB of RAM is helpful to avoid further memory management tasks. iOS memory management can function as it already does, but now occasionally under twice the load, with twice the available memory.

  3. Sal Junior - 9 years ago

    There is one big reason for increased memory, and that is tab browsing in Safari. Right now when you have multiple tabs open, they are constantly having to be reloaded when switching back and forth. This is a huge nuisance. I welcome the increased RAM.

    • taoprophet420 - 9 years ago

      Looks like they sandboxed Safari in iOS 8. While looking at The Verge or this site Safari would close, now I get a popup that says the page unexpectedl closed instead of Safari closing.

    • PMZanetti - 9 years ago

      Don’t be surprised when the experience is no different with 2 GB of RAM.

      • Fallenjt JT - 9 years ago

        I’m not surprised because Safari loading is not a reason for RAM update and no one cares of Safari pages reloading. I would expect the split screen/multi tasks and Retina HD may need more RAM.

      • thejuanald - 9 years ago

        Nobody cares? I care a lot, and so do many people. It’s insane that you can’t have 2 tabs open without the pages reloading.

  4. rettun1 - 9 years ago

    Somebody is about to lose $50 million

  5. philboogie - 9 years ago

    Glad to see the incredible stupid posts being outnumbered by informed people, making solid statements.

    Hope to see a roentgen photo of the CPU soon.

  6. mikelmaster - 9 years ago

    I think 2 GB of RAM and a dedicated chip, the A8X, it’s just the iPad needs. It would be possible, if Apple include it, from now to performance a split screen mode, and continuing with the speculation if I Apple wants to give users the possibility to disable that split screen mode the iPad air 2 will be super solvent and fast.

    I’m sure I will renew my old iPad 3 generation This time.

  7. matthewr1990 - 9 years ago

    My iPad Air is fantastic, it’s quick, efficient, beautiful and thin, the smaller bezels on the side help make it fantastic in my opinion. I’m missing it sorely since selling it to buy the new iPad. However, I can’t believe some people are in doubt that the iPad needs more RAM. I’m not entirely sure how you use your device but the moment you come out of safari through multitask, you won’t get back in without a page reload. Whilst it’s not the end of the world, no. It does prove there is a lack of memory if it can’t keep a simple webpage on local memory. It’s also a pain for Netflix and other such video apps. Some of which have adverts to get in to the app: so of you switch out of the Break app (for example) to quickly reply to that email you just got, or that iMessage you’ve received. When you get back into the app you have to wait for it to reboot, watch an advert, find the video you were at and reload it. For a seamless tablet experience, such things shouldn’t be hard to keep on memory. If flicking from one app to another. Whilst I understand it shoukdnt need to do this when using a plethora of apps. Flicking between 2 apps shouldn’t be this much of an issue.

  8. jramskovk (@jramskovk) - 9 years ago

    “The iPad update is also expected to include Touch ID for use with Apple Pay”

    s/Touch ID/NFC/; ?

    And would people really be using their iPads for Apple Pay?!

    • nenadtar - 9 years ago

      It is probably going to be used for accepting payments. Lots of retail use iPads for cash register terminals and the like already

Author

Avatar for Zac Hall Zac Hall

Zac covers Apple news, hosts the 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcast, and created SpaceExplored.com.