Apple has always been stingy when it comes to memory on its products. Yet, they have no problem charging a premium for memory upgrades. However, Apple could start loosening its purse strings when it comes to RAM on the iPhone. According to analyst Jeff Pu of GFHK Tech Research, Apple may finally upgrade the iPhone 17 Pro models to 12GB of RAM.
More memory for AI
So, what finally convinced Apple to be more “generous” with RAM? Turns out that AI could be the answer. Apple first increased iPhone RAM to 8GB with the iPhone 15 Pro models and kept it the same for the iPhone 16 lineup. That’s likely why Apple Intelligence is exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max and newer.
This has fueled speculation that Apple is increasing RAM to 12GB to support even more advanced Apple Intelligence features in the iPhone 17 Pro lineup. These new features could be more resource-intensive, requiring additional memory to run smoothly.
But what does this mean for older iPhones? If future Apple Intelligence upgrades demand 12GB of RAM, that could leave many older devices out of the loop. And that’s likely to frustrate iPhone 16 Pro owners—especially if their year-old devices miss out on the latest AI features.
Apple could also simply be preparing the iPhone 17 Pro models for future AI updates. Hopefully, that is the case; otherwise, Apple could face backlash from fans. Many have already complained that the vanilla iPhone 15 and Plus models do not support Apple AI.
Upcoming iPhone 17 models
Apple will introduce four new iPhone 17 models later this year. We already know there’s going to be a base iPhone 17 model. There will also be the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models. Both the Pro and Pro Max models are rumored to ditch the use of titanium in favor of aluminum. Rumors suggest that the Cupertino company will also introduce a brand new model, the iPhone 17 Air.
The Air model will replace the Plus model, but it isn’t a direct replacement. From what we have heard and seen, the iPhone 17 Air will represent a brand new device that is slimmer than the other iPhones. This is rumored to be a more aesthetic-focused iPhone aimed at those who want something that looks different from the other iPhone models.
It is also rumored to be incredibly thin. As a result of this thinness, Apple will compromise on certain hardware features. Leaked renders have indicated that the iPhone 17 Air may only come with one camera.
