8GB of RAM is currently the standard for Apple devices, the minimum needed for Apple Intelligence. However, rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Pro might boast a significant upgrade to 12GB of RAM. Analyst Jeff Pu of GFHK Tech Research lends further credence to these speculations, agreeing that a RAM boost is highly probable.
Each new iPhone series has typically seen internal upgrades. The iPhone 15 Pro models featured 8GB of RAM, compared to 6GB in the non-Pro versions, while the entire iPhone 16 lineup has 8GB. A jump to 12GB for the iPhone 17 Pro models could indicate access to future Apple Intelligence features and improved future-proofing, an important factor as users keep their phones for longer periods.
iPhone 16 Pro Max in Desert Titanium.
“Meanwhile iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are expected to migrate to LPDDR5 12GB, this transition alone will contribute to a 3.5% YoY increase in smartphone DRAM content across an estimated 100 million new iPhone units,” Pu told 9to5Mac.
This would mark the first time an iPhone exceeds 8GB of RAM. Historically, Apple products, including iPads, have been relatively RAM-constrained. Only recently did the iPad Pro receive a 16GB option, exclusively for models with 1TB or more of storage.
Even the MacBook lineup, comparable to the iPhone in popularity, only reached 16GB last year. While Apple previously maintained that 8GB was sufficient for most users due to its silicon, the company seems to have shifted its stance.
Speculating on the precise impact of an additional 4GB of RAM on the iPhone 17 Pro is difficult. Apple’s likely expansion of Apple Intelligence, as hinted by the company, would benefit from increased memory.
However, the added RAM will undoubtedly lead to overall performance enhancements, a welcome improvement for any user.
