iPhone 15 Pro Max | Image credit – PhoneArena
As
Apple prepares to unveil its next
iPhone 16 series at
the "It’s Glowtime" event on September 9, rumors about the
iPhone 17 series, expected in 2025, are already swirling. The latest buzz comes from China.
The iPhone 17 once again rumored to feature 12GB of RAM
A typically reliable leaker
Mobile Phone Chip Expert (translated source), posted on the Chinese social media platform Weibo that next year’s
iPhone 17 models are expected to come with 12GB of RAM, aiming to enhance on-device AI capabilities.
Apple has been slowly increasing RAM in its iPhones. Take the
iPhone 14 series, for example – every model, Pro or not, came with 6GB of RAM. However, in the current
iPhone 15 lineup, there is a difference: the
iPhone 15 and 15 Plus stick with 6GB, while the Pro models –
iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max – bump up to 8GB. This extra RAM is rumored to be why
Apple Intelligence, the company’s AI-powered features, will only be available on the
iPhone 15 Pro models.
Since 8GB of RAM is needed for Apple Intelligence, all four of Apple’s upcoming
iPhone 16 models are expected to come with that amount, as well as the rumored
iPhone SE 4, which is likely set for a spring release. If the
iPhone 17 models do indeed get 12GB of RAM, they could offer even more advanced on-device AI features.
Video credit – Apple
If the
iPhone 17 can handle more AI tasks directly on the device, while other iPhones rely on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute (PCC) servers, next year’s models could be noticeably faster with certain Apple Intelligence features. Plus, processing AI locally would likely boost security.
This isn’t the first time we have heard about Apple’s 2025 iPhones getting more RAM. Back in May, well-known analyst Jeff Pu mentioned that the
iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max would come with 12GB of RAM, while the
iPhone 17 and the rumored
iPhone 17 Slim or Air would stick to 8GB. Last month, another leak also hinted that
the iPhone 17 series might be the first to come with 12GB of RAM.
Of course, we won’t know for sure what the tech giant has in store for next year’s iPhones until it officially spills the details. However, I think it would make sense for Apple to add more RAM – not just to support Apple Intelligence but also to keep up with the current trend in the smartphone industry.
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