Earlier this month, Google unveiled the Pixel 9 series with a significant boost in RAM Google said this was to enhance on-device AI, and some suspected Apple would do the same with the iPhone 16 But apparently we won't see this until at least next year

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims that we won't see additional RAM until the iPhone 17 series launches in 2025 However, Kuo refutes earlier rumors that all four iPhone 17s will get this upgrade - instead claiming that it will be exclusive to the iPhone 17 Pro Max

This is not necessarily bad news for the iPhone 16 series, as rumors suggest that the Pro models will not get any additional memory, while the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will get 2GB of RAM this year

Apple itself has confirmed that the RAM constraint is what is stopping Apple Intelligence from rolling out to non-Pro iPhone 15s This means that if Apple wants to add on-device AI capabilities to all iPhone 16s, the jump from 6GB to 8GB will be essential In fact, Apple is said to be taking this development very seriously and may even include 8GB of RAM in the (expected) iPhone SE 4 to be released next year

While it is disappointing not to see more RAM in the iPhone 16 Pro, it is not necessarily surprising Apple has been reluctant in the past to add more RAM to the iPhone for no solid reason So if the current incarnation of Apple Intelligence can run on 8GB of RAM, that's what we're getting That's not to say that extra memory in future models couldn't be more beneficial, potentially providing more powerful AI capabilities and/or preventing the device in the future for what comes next

What is interesting about Apple Intelligence is that its current set of features does not seem to be limited based on the device it is running on Of course, this is hardly a scientific conclusion, since there are currently only two iPhone models compatible with AI But if Kuo is right and the 12GB RAM upgrade is exclusive to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, we may start seeing more AI disparities

Kuo also claims that the 17 Pro Max will feature an all-new cooling system that combines graphite sheets and vapor chamber technology It should help prevent heat buildup and as a result we may see a phone that can perform better and more complex tasks safely This would account for the extra RAM to try to facilitate this

Sadly, this enhanced cooling system design is apparently exclusive to the Pro Max, with the rest of the iPhone 17 reportedly relying on graphite sheets for cooling

It will be a long time before the iPhone 17 series is available, but thankfully, the iPhone 16 launch is imminent and Apple has decided to hold a “Glowtime” event on September 9 There, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, and other products like the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will be announced Check it out