Apple's 'iPhone 6s' again rumored to feature 'Force Touch', 2GB RAM
For the second time in as many days, a report from Asia claims that Apple plans to bring the "Force Touch" technology from the Apple Watch to the next-generation iPhone and double the forthcoming handset's built-in RAM to 2 gigabytes.
In addition to the extra gigabyte of RAM, Apple will likely move to new LPDDR4 chips, according to TechNews Taiwan. LPDDR4 is rated for twice the bandwidth of LPDDR3 --?found in the iPhone 6 series --?while keeping power consumption the same.
Samsung, Hynix, and Micron-Elpida are expected to split the RAM orders for the so-called "iPhone 6S."
Apple calls Force Touch its "most significant new sensing capability since Multi‑Touch," lending some amount of credence to the idea that it could expand beyond the Apple Watch. Such a move would also require a corresponding switch to a flexible display material, however --?electrodes surrounding the Apple Watch's OLED display detect the level of deformation caused by the user's press, a measurement not possible with rigid displays.
It also remains unclear exactly how Apple would make use of Force Touch if it does makes its way to the iPhone. A report from earlier this week suggested that Apple may employ it to enable more accurate sensing of users' pulse and blood pressure, though that seems unlikely.
In addition to the extra gigabyte of RAM, Apple will likely move to new LPDDR4 chips, according to TechNews Taiwan. LPDDR4 is rated for twice the bandwidth of LPDDR3 --?found in the iPhone 6 series --?while keeping power consumption the same.
Samsung, Hynix, and Micron-Elpida are expected to split the RAM orders for the so-called "iPhone 6S."
Apple calls Force Touch its "most significant new sensing capability since Multi‑Touch," lending some amount of credence to the idea that it could expand beyond the Apple Watch. Such a move would also require a corresponding switch to a flexible display material, however --?electrodes surrounding the Apple Watch's OLED display detect the level of deformation caused by the user's press, a measurement not possible with rigid displays.
It also remains unclear exactly how Apple would make use of Force Touch if it does makes its way to the iPhone. A report from earlier this week suggested that Apple may employ it to enable more accurate sensing of users' pulse and blood pressure, though that seems unlikely.
Comments
It was kind of stingy of Apple not to add 2GB RAM to iPhone 6. If Apple's goal is to make the best products in the world the 6 should have gotten 2GB RAM.
'Yes, but Apple needed a way to get as many people as possible to want to upgrade to the 6s'.
If that is the case what's Apple's goal then?
On the feature of Force Touch I don't get why a smartphone would need that feature. A smartwatch or a tablet would have reasons, but a phone, not so much.
It is my understanding RAM (as opposed to storage) is more about what is optimal for the OS and hardware. Apple controlling everything can get that exactly right whereas a company cobbling together bits from here and there can't. I am sure the tech gurus on AI will correct me here if this is incorrect but I suspect Apple use the exact amount of RAM in iDevices to maximize everything ... be that heat, performance or batter life. I await the experts' thoughts on this.
It was kind of stingy of Apple not to add 2GB RAM to iPhone 6. If Apple's goal is to make the best products in the world the 6 should have gotten 2GB RAM.
There isn't enough DRAM in the world for that right now. Apple's probably hoping that enough plants are brought online to meet the demand for the 6S.
The endless number of times my iPad Air's Safari gives "an error occured, this page will be reloaded" and the visible impact you
get from keeping the number of page tabs as low as possible, gives me all reasons to believe with iOS8 1GB and a retina HD screen memory is very very tight.
Given the already high margin they have on e.g. an iPad, makes me again and again wonder why they couldn't miss the 3-5 USD for 1 GB RAM.
I'm already looking forward (not !!) when the more bloated (I'm very sure) iOS9 comes...
On the feature of Force Touch I don't get why a smartphone would need that feature. A smartwatch or a tablet would have reasons, but a phone, not so much.
How would you know? Have you ever used a "force touch" display before? I haven't. Before the iPhone and iPad, most people had never even used a multi-touch display before.
I think that certain apps and games could certainly make use of such a feature. Pressing a button or box in an app could make it act differently, depending on if somebody presses it, or if they merely tap it.
Given the already high margin they have on e.g. an iPad, makes me again and again wonder why they couldn't miss the 3-5 USD for 1 GB RAM.
What's your complaint exactly? The iPad now has 2 GB of RAM. You're talking about old devices.
One place I would love force touch is control center. Let me force touch or long press the Bluetooth icon to easily switch between devices. Same thing with wifi. I'm really hoping some of the watch innovations end up in future versions of iOS. I'd especially love a dark mode (similar to what they offer ijn OS X).
It was kind of stingy of Apple not to add 2GB RAM to iPhone 6. If Apple's goal is to make the best products in the world the 6 should have gotten 2GB RAM.
Its incredibly entertaining to watch this kind of comment get thrown around by people that have no idea what they're talking about.
The iPhone 6 in no way shape or form gives any indication that it needs more RAM. Not one aspect of using the device lends itself to that.
You people are so out to lunch, grasping at whatever straw you can find, it is HILARIOUS.
BTW, I have the iPad Air 2 as well, and see absolutely no difference between it and the iPad Air (which I also still have) in any aspect that might be considered a RAM intensive situation. In terms of real world use, non existent.
In fact, the iPad Air 2 has its own issues that make it a worse product than the Air in terms of user experience...and of course none of that can be affected or influenced by RAM.
Of course it will have 2GB RAM and storage will start at 32GB. Those are no brainers.
Explain that please. I'm sure I could find comments from you and others that alleged the same nonsense prior to the 6 launch.
There is no reason whatsoever for Apple to change the intro level storage from 16 GB.
1. Approximately half of all sales are of the lowest price tier, with the other half a mix of the upper two tiers. Many (approx half) make their buying decision based on price. Why would Apple give them more free storage? They are gonna buy $199/$299 anyway.
2. Apple would be stupid to do so. The difference in margin for them between a 16 and 32 GB device is about $4. Multiply that by a few hundred million devices, and you have enough revenue in that margin alone to sustain some of largest companies in the world. Yea, just give them more storage that the market doesn't demand. Smart business decision. Good thing we have you bloggers to explain it to us.
3. People like to say that "its 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 already, time to get rid of 16 GB!" Well, arguably, 16 GB is more usable today with iOS 8 than it ever has been before, going back to the beginning. The new features of iCloud Photo Library and the behavior of 'Optimize iPhone Storage' takes your many GB of photo/video and brings it down to mere MB. Also, auto delete of iMessage helps prevent that from growing to untold GB.
There is not a single logical argument to get rid of 16 GB as the base model. Apple drove that point home even more so with the last round of phones, by NOT doing away with it, but rather offering MORE, A LOT MORE, at the higher end....for the people who actually care how many GB their phone has.
why? ask Joe Public how much RAM their phone has (any kind of phone) 95% of the time you'll get "what's RAM" or they'll answer 16/32/64/128 GB.
amount of RAM is irrelevant as long as performance good.
It was kind of stingy of Apple not to add 2GB RAM to iPhone 6. If Apple's goal is to make the best products in the world the 6 should have gotten 2GB RAM.
The endless number of times my iPad Air's Safari gives "an error occured, this page will be reloaded" and the visible impact you
get from keeping the number of page tabs as low as possible, gives me all reasons to believe with iOS8 1GB and a retina HD screen memory is very very tight.
Given the already high margin they have on e.g. an iPad, makes me again and again wonder why they couldn't miss the 3-5 USD for 1 GB RAM.
I'm already looking forward (not !!) when the more bloated (I'm very sure) iOS9 comes...
Glad the hardware engineers have checked in with their opinions! Not sure why Apple didn't consider RAM and the effect on margins. I did not know these facts. Thanks guys! You should probably send this off to someone at Apple.
"have enough available space to update their software."
has nothing to do with Random Access Memory - when you download an app (games usually) it's compressed ("zipped" if you will) - so a 1GB ipa needs space on the "disk" to uncompress the files and install.. that's why the "fix" is to delete music or movies (which are not stored in RAM)... if you download the same app to your desktop then sync it over, it doesn't need the scratch space to uncompress.
this is from iTunes Lego Marvel Superheroes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lego-marvel-super-heroes-universe/id737006024?mt=8
This game is filled with many hours of content and cinematics that take up a lot of space! You’ll need 2.2gb of available space on your device if you install over wifi, but only 1.1gb of space if you download on your computer and then sync.
...so it NEEDS more (2.2GB) of space than there is RAM, it's not using RAM.
It is my understanding RAM (as opposed to storage) is more about what is optimal for the OS and hardware. Apple controlling everything can get that exactly right whereas a company cobbling together bits from here and there can't. I am sure the tech gurus on AI will correct me here if this is incorrect but I suspect Apple use the exact amount of RAM in iDevices to maximize everything ... be that heat, performance or batter life. I await the experts' thoughts on this.
It isn't just about the OS, it is about the apps. Apps can always do more with more resources. Imagine all you would be missing out on if the iPhone 6 still had 128 MB ram like the first one did.
As far as storage goes we know why Apple did what they did. The margins are much greater at the high end so they can afford to offer 64 for the price of 32. And Phil Schiller can upsell more people by telling them they get 4x the storage (whether they need it or not) for only $100 more. But too many people were hit with not having enough storage to update to iOS 8 (I know several people who ran into this). I'm sure Apple has received plenty of consumer feedback over it.
I would say I'm 100% certain on more RAM in the new iPhones. I'm 75% certain on upping storage but 100% certain if they don't the blowback will be brutal. And it will prove that Tim Cook's Apple places a higher priority on profit margins than the best products and user experience.
Tell that to Apple engineers, especially the ones who work on Safari.
As I see it Apple has kept the amount of RAM at a minimum for several reasons:
- Maximize battery life
- Minimize temperature
- Make the thinnest, lightest products
- It's not required because they control the OS and can tune it to maximize RAM usage
- iOS upgrades go back several generations of devices which is more than Android allows. Apple sometimes allows too many older devices in the compatibility list and performance can be nominal at first until the OS is tweaked in updates.
- Apple owners tend to have a short upgrade cycle (2 years or less) before they buy the newest product.
And then where would Apple put Touch ID? Or are they just supposed to scrap it after they have invested millions, maybe billions, to bring the tech to the mass market in its current form. Maybe in the future Apple will be able to integrate the sensor into the screen somehow, but not anytime soon. Plus, the home button is the identity of the iPhone since they don't put tacky labels all over like other companies do.
Apple likes to tout the fact that older hardware gets OS updates. But often times updating the software makes the device slower and provides a poor user experience. Maybe the iPhone 6 doesn't need more than 1GB RAM now but what about a year or two from now? Will iOS 9 or 10 work smoothly on the device? Or is Apple just telegraphing to people that they need to upgrade every 2 years?