Xcode finding quashes iPhone RAM rumors, confirms all 2019 models have 4 GB

While most Android OEMs are loud about the specs of their latest flagships, Apple is typically mum on the subject. While we know some key aspects like storage capacity and the SoC running inside that beautiful glass shell, other components are less clear, particularly RAM. However, a recent Twitter post by Steve Troughton-Smith confirms that the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max all have 4 GB of RAM. 

Troughton-Smith found this information via Xcode, which is Apple’s proprietary development platform for iOS devices. This finding also fully kills the rumors of 6 GB models that were damaged earlier this week by AnTuTu benchmark posts. 

This confirmation also means the iPhone 11 family is even less of an upgrade than originally thought. Early reviews have levied heavy criticisms against Apple for the small iterative improvements in the company’s latest phones; considering the iPhone 11 family has the same amount of RAM as last year’s iPhone XS and XS Max, it looks like there is less of a reason for Apple users to upgrade. (We should note that the iPhone XR had 3 GB of RAM.)

Also, keep in mind that an iPhone’s RAM capacity should not be directly compared to that of an Android phone. Android and iOS are fundamentally different operating systems and utilize hardware resources differently; while 4 GB of RAM may be average (or slightly below) for an Android flagship, iOS can still run extremely well on older iPhones and iPads with 1 or 2 GB of RAM.

There is some good news for another device family in Apple’s house; the new 10.2-inch iPad got a 50% RAM bump to 3 GB from the older model’s 2 GB. This should make task switching a hair quicker on the newer tablet, and it may play well into iPadOS’s updated multitasking features.