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 provided further particulars on the iPhone 16 and Apple Intelligence, together with affirmation that every 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 purpose why the iPhone 15 Professional telephones can run Apple Intelligence and the opposite fashions can not. 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, it is a departure from earlier years, as Apple sometimes shies away from sharing all these specs publicly.
Through the interview, Srouji defined that Apple Intelligence was one of many causes for the RAM improve however famous that different issues will profit as nicely:
“Our objective is to construct the perfect merchandise, delivering the very best person expertise. Because it pertains to Apple Intelligence, DRAM is one side. And once we have a look at what we’re constructing, whether or not it’s silicon, {hardware}, or software program, we don’t need to be wasteful in some ways.
We’ve numerous information that tells us what’s going to allow a sure function, and Apple Intelligence is a kind of very, essential options that we need to allow. And we have a look at completely different configurations, each for computation and reminiscence bandwidth and reminiscence capability. After which we make the correct trade-off and stability of what truly makes probably the most sense. So, Apple Intelligence was a significant function that led us to consider that we have to get to 8GB.
However having stated that, the 8GB goes to assist immensely amongst different purposes, 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 useful.
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 staff, our glorious software program staff, 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 have a look at all these trade-offs and we find yourself with, right here’s what is smart, and eight gigabytes was probably the most good alternative for us.”
When requested about how Apple Silicon stacks up towards the remainder of the business and why Apple hasn’t centered on rising core counts like a few of its opponents, Srouji defined:
“Once you have a look at the single-thread of efficiency core throughout all of our silicon, it’s the very best within the business. We’re main the business. In case you have a look at the effectivity cores, similar, we’re at the very best. We’re main in an enormous method.
After which once we have 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 numerous simulation and efficiency modeling instruments, and we have a look at precise information. After which we keep in mind, for instance, the battery dimension for a product, the facility supply system for a product, the thermal envelope for the product, as a result of overbuilding, once more, is wasteful.
For instance, for the cellphone, we got here to the conclusion that two P4E, so two efficiency cores and 4 effectivity cores, meets the wants of what that system requires, as a result of we have now the very best single-thread, and the effectivity cores are so good for different duties, and that configuration works.”
The complete interview is totally price watching and might be discovered beneath. It’s among the finest – if not the perfect – interviews I’ve seen with Srouji. It’s fascinating to look at Srouji discuss concerning the technical particulars of Apple Silicon and study extra about all the selections Apple makes all through the event course of of recent merchandise and silicon.
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