Apple reveals iPhone 4 has 512MB RAM, doubling iPad - report
Apple officials quietly confirmed at last week's Worldwide Developers Conference that the forthcoming iPhone 4 has 512MB of RAM integrated into its custom A4 processor, according to a new report.
A couple of sites (1 2) reported Thursday that Apple confirmed the 512MB figure during one of the WWDC sessions held last week at San Francisco's Moscone Center. That's twice the RAM found in last year's iPhone 3GS, as well as twice the 256MB found in the just-released iPad with the same A4 processor.
For comparison, the original iPhone and the following year's iPhone 3G both had just 128MB of RAM.
The news that the latest A4 processor has 512MB of RAM directly contradicts photographic evidence of an iPhone 4 prototype disassembled in Vietnam. Solutions provider iFixit read the markings on that hardware, before iPhone 4 was formally announced, and found that the hardware had 256MB of RAM -- the same amount of memory found inside the A4 processor on the iPad.
Apple's custom-built A4 processor was first released in the iPad running at a 1GHz clock speed. It is packaged just like previous iPhone processors, with three layers of circuitry that include the microprocessor in one package, and two memory modules in the other.
Apple declined to announce the RAM or the clock speed of the A4 found inside iPhone 4 when it introduced the handset at last week's WWDC keynote. Some have taken the fact that the speed was not revealed to mean that the processor is underclocked from its iPad counterpart, likely to achieve better battery life in the smaller form factor.
Thursday's news also confirms a report in May from DigiTimes that said the next-generation handset would have 512MB of RAM, citing Samsung as the memory provider.
A couple of sites (1 2) reported Thursday that Apple confirmed the 512MB figure during one of the WWDC sessions held last week at San Francisco's Moscone Center. That's twice the RAM found in last year's iPhone 3GS, as well as twice the 256MB found in the just-released iPad with the same A4 processor.
For comparison, the original iPhone and the following year's iPhone 3G both had just 128MB of RAM.
The news that the latest A4 processor has 512MB of RAM directly contradicts photographic evidence of an iPhone 4 prototype disassembled in Vietnam. Solutions provider iFixit read the markings on that hardware, before iPhone 4 was formally announced, and found that the hardware had 256MB of RAM -- the same amount of memory found inside the A4 processor on the iPad.
Apple's custom-built A4 processor was first released in the iPad running at a 1GHz clock speed. It is packaged just like previous iPhone processors, with three layers of circuitry that include the microprocessor in one package, and two memory modules in the other.
Apple declined to announce the RAM or the clock speed of the A4 found inside iPhone 4 when it introduced the handset at last week's WWDC keynote. Some have taken the fact that the speed was not revealed to mean that the processor is underclocked from its iPad counterpart, likely to achieve better battery life in the smaller form factor.
Thursday's news also confirms a report in May from DigiTimes that said the next-generation handset would have 512MB of RAM, citing Samsung as the memory provider.
Comments
and I bet the cloack speed is 1Ghz btw
It's like history repeating itself ... I had a bleeding edge Apple device a few years back called a 512 Mac ... only it was K not MB
Apple have come a long way since the 128K Macintosh.
A lot can happen in 26 year in the tech industry: iPhone 4 has 1,024 times the power of the 128K Macintosh (if I've done the math correctly)!
Something as simple as having mail, ipod, and safari open with a few "tabs", I can be down to 20 free MBs pretty easily. Now that is with using backgrounder, and true multitasking, where iOS 4 will have a more economical version.
I love the iPad, but they definitely held things out to either make iPad2 that much more of a "must have" or to drive up the profit margin on the first iPad.
512 RAM? Awesome
and I bet the cloack speed is 1Ghz btw
Nah... The probably tossed in the extra RAM to make up for the slower A4 clock speed. It's a good compromise to maintain performance while trying to maximize battery life.
As a future iPhone 4 owner, this is nice.
Seems the iPhone is still Apples #1 priority.
Seems stupid as the iPad has still a higher res and has more potential for multiple-tasking. He'll, the iPad just came out 2 1/2 months ago!
Need more RAM for multitasking. Since iPad won't get multi tasking for a while no point to stick more ram in there. Gen2 will have like a GIg to run a retina display they will stick on it I am sure.
What???
IOS 4 is coming to the iPad in a few months so why is there no point.
More potential to multiple-task on an iPad frankly.
http://www.htc.com/www/product/desir...ification.html
By going to 512MB rather than 256MB, Apple's just playing catchup.
Seems stupid as the iPad has still a higher res and has more potential for multiple-tasking. He'll, the iPad just came out 2 1/2 months ago!
The iOS for the iPad has a smaller footprint since it does not need to support as many things as the iPhone does (e.g., voice control, phone software, still camera and video, etc...). You are not comparing Apples and oranges here
This was all discussed not to long ago when the memory differences were first brought up - check the archives.
The HTC Desire has 576MB RAM and a 1GHz processor. Specs here:
http://www.htc.com/www/product/desir...ification.html
By going to 512MB rather than 256MB, Apple's just playing catchup.
Apple is updating hardware that gets rolled out once a year, not every month or so like the Android phones. Hardly playing catchup.
The HTC Desire has 576MB RAM and a 1GHz processor. Specs here:
http://www.htc.com/www/product/desir...ification.html
By going to 512MB rather than 256MB, Apple's just playing catchup.
I do not understand how so many Apple enthusiasts can write such lame remarks, like the tomato sauce one quoted above.
All kidding aside, Apple has not been about specs since the short lived ads for the powerpc architecture (that smoked Intel).
Apple is about performance in the usability sense. To that end, doubling the RAM is likely neither catchup nor mustard, but as already suggested, a way to enhance battery life while maintaining performance.
Even with regards to the 'Retina' display, it is about smoothness of text, and less about "I have more pixels than you do" kind of marketing.
.... and that is why Apple is finally so wildly successful, no need to compare specs, just buy Apple products and you know you will have a better user EXPERIENCE than [just about] any other device in the same category. All ATT problems aside, of course.
The iOS for the iPad has a smaller footprint since it does not need to support as many things as the iPhone does (e.g., voice control, phone software, still camera and video, etc...). You are not comparing Apples and oranges here
This was all discussed not to long ago when the memory differences were first brought up - check the archives.
I'm still not buying an iPad until Rev. 2.
The HTC Desire has 576MB RAM and a 1GHz processor. Specs here:
http://www.htc.com/www/product/desir...ification.html
By going to 512MB rather than 256MB, Apple's just playing catchup.
Very true. And the Desire has a smaller battery, lower resolution and no gyroscope. And sometime before the iPhone 4G/5 is announced, there will be a phone with better specs then these. It's all a case of catch-up. Be happy. The competition keeps phones from all vendors improving.