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On Monday, Apple touted the brand new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Professional as the primary iPhones constructed from the bottom up for Apple Intelligence with the A18 and A18 Professional chips. In a brand new interview, Apple’s Johny Srouji has supplied further particulars on the iPhone 16 and Apple Intelligence, together with affirmation that each one 4 iPhone 16 fashions have 8GB of RAM.
Final yr, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus featured 6GB of RAM, whereas the iPhone 15 Professional and iPhone 15 Professional Max featured 8GB of RAM. That is believed to be one motive why the iPhone 15 Professional telephones can run Apple Intelligence and the opposite fashions can’t. This yr, all 4 iPhone 16 fashions can run Apple Intelligence—partially as a result of all of them have 8GB of RAM.
Srouji, Apple’s senior vice chairman of {hardware} applied sciences, confirmed the 8GB of RAM quantity in an interview with Geekerwan. This marks the primary time that Apple has publicly confirmed the quantity of RAM within the iPhone 16. Notably, this can be a departure from earlier years, as Apple usually shies away from sharing these kind of specs publicly.
Throughout the interview, Srouji defined that Apple Intelligence was one of many causes for the RAM enhance however famous that different issues will profit as properly:
“Our aim is to construct the very best merchandise, delivering the best possible consumer expertise. Because it pertains to Apple Intelligence, DRAM is one facet. And after we take a look at what we’re constructing, whether or not it’s silicon, {hardware}, or software program, we don’t wish to be wasteful in some ways.
We have now plenty of information that tells us what’s going to allow a sure function, and Apple Intelligence is a kind of very, essential options that we wish to allow. And we take a look at totally different configurations, each for computation and reminiscence bandwidth and reminiscence capability. After which we make the precise trade-off and steadiness of what really makes essentially the most sense. So, Apple Intelligence was a serious function that led us to consider that we have to get to 8GB.
However having mentioned that, the 8GB goes to assist immensely amongst different functions, together with gaming, high-end gaming, AAA-titled video games, and high-end gaming on system. So, I feel it’s going to be actually, actually helpful.
The opposite factor to remember, this is likely one of the advantages of getting the software program and the silicon and the product absolutely built-in, is that the software program crew, our wonderful software program crew, will optimize not just for compute, they’ll additionally optimize for the reminiscence footprint of every software. So, they don’t find yourself additionally losing reminiscence.
So, we take a look at all these trade-offs and we find yourself with, right here’s what is sensible, and eight gigabytes was essentially the most good alternative for us.”
When requested about how Apple Silicon stacks up towards the remainder of the trade and why Apple hasn’t centered on growing core counts like a few of its rivals, Srouji defined:
“If you take a look at the single-thread of efficiency core throughout all of our silicon, it’s the best possible within the trade. We’re main the trade. Should you take a look at the effectivity cores, identical, we’re at the best possible. We’re main in an enormous manner.
After which after we take a look at the configuration, whether or not it’s a silicon that goes into the iPhone or the iPad or the Mac, we have now plenty of simulation and efficiency modeling instruments, and we take a look at precise information. After which we keep in mind, for instance, the battery dimension for a product, the ability supply system for a product, the thermal envelope for the product, as a result of overbuilding, once more, is wasteful.
For instance, for the telephone, we got here to the conclusion that two P4E, so two efficiency cores for effectivity cores, meets the wants of what that system requires, as a result of we have now the best possible single-thread, and the effectivity cores are so good for different duties, and that configuration works.”
The complete interview is totally value watching and could be discovered under. It’s the most effective – if not the very best – interviews I’ve seen with Srouji. It’s fascinating to look at Srouji speak in regards to the technical particulars of Apple Silicon and be taught extra about all the selections Apple makes all through the event course of of latest merchandise and silicon.
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