Apple confirms iPhone 16 will feature 8GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence

Apple has officially confirmed that the iPhone 16 lineup, including the base model and the 16 Pro Max, will come equipped with 8GB of RAM. This upgrade is a direct result of the hardware requirements needed to support Apple’s new “Apple Intelligence” features, according to Johny Srouji, Apple’s Vice President of Hardware Technology.
In an interview with Geekerwan, which was spotted by 9to5Mac, Srouji explained that the decision to increase RAM in the iPhone 16 was driven by the needs of Apple Intelligence, a set of AI-powered features. “DRAM is one aspect,” he said, adding that the increase to 8GB will also benefit high-performance tasks such as gaming.
This is the first time Apple has officially disclosed the RAM specifications of the iPhone 16 lineup. Previously, references to the 8GB figure were found by MacRumors within Xcode after the phones were unveiled. The additional RAM will allow the iPhone 16 models to fully support Apple Intelligence, a capability that will not be available on the iPhone 15 due to its lower 6GB of RAM.
In the interview, Srouji also discussed other aspects of Apple’s hardware strategy, including the performance of the new A18 chip, Apple’s approach to thermal design, and the enhanced video and image processing capabilities of the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro.
With the increased RAM and Apple Intelligence features, the iPhone 16 series is positioned as a powerful device for both everyday users and those requiring advanced functionality like high-end gaming and enhanced AI operations.