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Apple's iPhone X & iPhone 8 Plus to come with 3GB of RAM, iPhone 8 with 2GB

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More information gleaned from this weekend's iOS 11 GM leak point to memory allotments for Apple's upcoming iPhone models, with the top-end OLED-toting iPhone X and 5.5-inch iPhone 8 Plus to feature 3GB of RAM, while the 4.7-inch iPhone 8 will make do with 2GB.

Evidence of the forthcoming RAM allotments was dug up by developer Steven Troughton-Smith, who has been sifting through the leaked Apple code for hints relating to soon-to-be-announced iPhone, Apple Watch and Apple TV hardware.

It seems Apple will carry over memory specifications from current iPhone models, as existing iPhone 7 and 7 Plus devices sport 2GB and 3GB of RAM, respectively. Apple's new for 2017 OLED iPhone, referred to as "iPhone X" in the leaked iOS 11 GM, will carry the same amount of RAM as its closest stablemate, the next-generation 5.5-inch LCD model.

The extra RAM will likely help iPhone X perform computationally demanding tasks like facial recognition, which is expected to debut as a device-specific feature next week.

Along the memory specifications, information about Apple's next-generation processors were also revealed on Sunday.

Colloquially called "A11 Fusion," in reference to the A10 Fusion SoC that shipped with iPhone 7, the forthcoming chip is expected to run six cores in a 2+4 configuration — two high performance "Mistral" cores and four high efficiency "Monsoon" cores. This compares to the A10 Fusion, a quad-core chip that operates in a 2+2 configuration. A separate SoC, the A10X, debuted in the latest iPad Pro refresh this years as a 3+3 chip.

Separately, Troughton-Smith tweeted out what appears to be confirmation of iPhone X camera specifications. The OLED handset will rely on a 12-megapixel rear shooter — or more likely two 12MP modules in a dual camera array, ala iPhone 7 Plus — capable of shooting 4K video at 60 frames per second or 1080p video at 240fps. On the front is a 7MP camera that can shoot 1080p at 30fps. By comparison, the 12MP camera on iPhone 7 caps 4K video at 30fps.

More interesting are code points suggesting the front-facing infrared receiver will capture image information at a resolution of 1,312-by-1,104 pixels. Apple is widely rumored to integrate a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) and an IR receiver as part of its "Face ID" facial recognition and authentication system.

Apple is expected to announce iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X alongside an LTE Apple Watch and 4K Apple TV at a special media event next week. AppleInsider will be covering the event live from Apple Park on Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 10 a.m. Pacific.



33 Comments

Soli 9 Years · 9981 comments

If accurate, and I assume it is, I look forward to people bitching and moaning about Apple not giving them 4 GiB RAM¡

Rayz2016 8 Years · 6957 comments

Soli said:
If accurate, and I assume it is, I look forward to people bitching and moaning about Apple not giving them 4 GiB RAM¡

And a massive battery. Don't forget the massive battery. It has to powerful enough to run a Toyota Prius for a day and a half, and if Ive wasn't so obssessed with thinness then Apple could make the phone slightly thicker to accommodate it. 

ksec 18 Years · 1502 comments

Soli said:
If accurate, and I assume it is, I look forward to people bitching and moaning about Apple not giving them 4 GiB RAM¡

Given how we know there will be a iPhone X Plus with higher resolution next year or two, the 4GB Ram will likely be introduced then. 

anton zuykov 9 Years · 1056 comments

Soli said:
If accurate, and I assume it is, I look forward to people bitching and moaning about Apple not giving them 4 GiB RAM¡

There is going to be something to bitch and moan about. You will see, they will find something to moan about anyways. It is just not going to be about RAM size. 

It is quite obvious that iPhone X should be able to mown a lawn, for example.
 Yes, it is true that Android based smartphones do not do that, but Apple have to have a different and higher set of standards applied to them, because they are such an underachieving company....somehow. And don't forget that they are constantly copying from Sammy, dirty bastards
And Sammy is constantly leading the race... by following Apple with its next release.
/s

doozydozen 11 Years · 539 comments

On the camera front, I'm glad Apple has not committed to the megapixel arms race. The same 12 MP count in this year's iPhone lineup ought to be class-lending, once again. I wonder what technical wizardry Apple will announce that keeps themselves far out in front of the competition?