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Apple’s new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6 Plus smartphones will each apparently have 2GB of RAM when they are available for sale on Sept. 25, which is twice the 1GB of memory included in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus handsets.
The increased RAM, which certainly will contribute to the increased performance claims for the new phones, was revealed by an iOS developer who said he found the information in Apple’s documentation using the company’s Xcode developer tools, according to a Sept. 14 report by BGR.com.
“Hamza Sood, who has often revealed hidden details about unreleased iOS devices or versions, found in Xcode proof that the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus both come with 2GB of RAM on board,” the report states. “Comparatively, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have 1GB of RAM. The developer also says the bigger iPad Pro has 4GB of RAM under the hood, or twice what’s available in the iPad Air 2 and (presumably) on the iPad Mini 4.”
Sood’s tweet on the subject was to the point.
“Not much of a surprise but Xcode confirms 2GB of RAM for the 6s (and 6s Plus), and 4GB for the iPad Pro,” he wrote.
The business-aimed iPad Pro tablet, the largest iPad yet, was unveiled at Apple’s Sept. 9 product launch event along with the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.
When Apple unveiled its newest iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus smartphones it didn’t, as usual, provide any details about how much RAM is built into the new devices. Those specifications are not something that Apple announces, unlike many of its competitors, which publicize such details.
The new iPhone 6s includes a 4.7-inch display, while the 6s Plus includes a 5.5-inch display, both of which are wrapped in a new stronger cover glass. Both new phones are built around Apple’s fastest smartphone chip, the A9, which is a third-generation 64-bit chip.
Meanwhile, the cameras on the latest devices also got a major upgrade, through the addition of an all-new 12MP iSight camera that has 50 percent more pixels than earlier devices. Both phones are also now capable of 4K video, run on iOS 9 and include new 5MP FaceTime HD front cameras.
Other iPhone 6s updates include higher performance, better cameras and a new feature called 3D Touch that adds new input capabilities for users to help them get the most out of the devices. 3D Touch is the latest generation of Apple’s established multi-touch input system. It not only recognizes familiar gestures, but also the amount of force being provided by a user on the screen.
Preorders for the new iPhones began Sept. 12.
Prices for the iPhone 6s will start at $199 on a two-year contract for a 16GB model and range to $399 for a 128GB version. Prices for the iPhone 6s Plus will start at $299 for a 16GB model and range to $499 for a 128GB version.
Apple is also introducing a new iPhone Upgrade Program that will allow customers to pay a monthly rate for their device, starting at $32 per month for 24 months, and allow them to get a new model each year.
Running the new iOS 9 operating system, the iPad Pro has a 12.9-inch diagonal display made up of 5.6M pixels, which are more pixels than a 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display. The latest iPad also includes Apple’s new third-generation 64-bit A9X chip, which has two times the memory bandwidth of previous versions, as well as 10-hour battery life, Apple’s first-time-ever four-speaker audio system and a weight of 1.57 pounds. Plus, it features an 8-megapixel iSight rear-facing camera, a 5MP FaceTime HD camera, Touch ID and superfast 802.11ac WiFi.
Also available are two optional accessories—a snap-on physical “Smart Keyboard” for users who desire the feel of real keys and the new Apple Pencil, which allows users to “draw” on the iPad with a stylus for accurate inputs.
When they become available in November, the iPad Pro will come in silver, gold or space gray and will be priced at $799 for 32GB with WiFi, $949 for a 128GB version, or $1,079 for a 128GB model with both WiFi and LTE cellular. The accessory keyboard is priced at $169, while the Pencil is $99.