Now that the iPhone 16 launch is behind us, we can start thinking about the iPhone 17 – and a fresh rumor suggests that the most expensive Pro Max model will be the only handset in the series making the jump to 12GB of RAM.

This comes from reliable tipsters Yeux1122 and @Jukanlosreve, and it’s said to be “more likely” that the iPhone 17 Pro Max gets 12GB while the iPhone 17 Pro sticks to 8GB (which is what’s inside all of the current 2024 models).

According to this leak, Samsung is hitting issues with its memory module production line, and that means there’s not going to be enough components to fit inside the millions of iPhone 17 Pros Apple wants to order, as well as the iPhone 17 Pro Max phones.

This isn’t a completely new rumor, either: well-respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously said that 12GB of RAM would be an iPhone 17 Pro Max exclusive, though he didn’t go into detail about the reasoning behind it.

AI and RAM
We’re still quite a way out from the launch of the iPhone 17 range of course, which should turn up in September if Apple sticks to its usual schedule. It’s always possible that plans will change between then and now.

However, we know that RAM – which gives devices thinking room – is important for powering Apple Intelligence, so it may be that the iPhone 17 Pro Max outperforms the other handsets in the series when it comes to AI tasks.

The 8GB of RAM across the board on the iPhone 16 phones is a brand new upgrade: you may remember that the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Plus had 6GB of RAM on board, though the Pro models both have 8GB (and therefore support Apple Intelligence).

It’s still early days for iPhone 17 rumors, but we’ve heard quite a few of them already – not least that the iPhone 16 Plus will be replaced by a new iPhone 17 Air when the time comes, which will apparently make use of a thinner form factor.