Apple keeps its specifications on the box only partly, and so a question as small as how much working memory a tablet holds must be answered by reading the traces left in its developer tools. This week a redesigned sixth-generation iPad mini arrived with the look and internals of a larger sibling, and reports drawn from leaked Xcode 13 beta strings place its memory at 4GB, a step up from its predecessor. The figure remains a reading of signs rather than an announcement, and it will be tested against hardware as the device reaches buyers on September 24.
Redesigned iPad mini Reportedly Gains 4GB of RAM; Base iPad Holds at 3GB
Apple does not put a memory number on the box
Mark
Why does a RAM number matter on a tablet Apple doesn't even advertise it for?
Mimi
Because it places the new mini in the lineup. At 4GB it matches the iPad Air, and it's a step up from the 3GB of the old mini.
Mark
And the standard iPad didn't move?
Mimi
No. The ninth-generation iPad stays at 3GB, same as the eighth-generation model.
Luke
Where does the number actually come from, though? Apple hasn't said it.
Mimi
From strings in the Xcode 13 beta. MacRumors says it can confirm the amounts from those.
Luke
So it's a leak from developer software, not a spec sheet. That's worth keeping in mind.
Mark
Is that a weak basis?
Luke
Not necessarily. The report says the same method was accurate for iPhone 12 and several earlier iPhones. But it's a track record, not proof for this device.
Mimi
And the report expects teardowns and regulatory filings in the coming days to back it up.
Luke
Which haven't happened yet, as far as this reporting shows. Until then, 4GB is well supported but unconfirmed by Apple.
Mark
The tablets launch September 24.
Mimi
Right, and that's when we should learn whether the strings were right.
O Pulso
- Apple has not published the memory figure, so the number rests on strings buried in beta developer software.
- The redesigned iPad mini now mirrors the iPad Air with slim bezels, a Touch ID power button, USB-C and the A15 chip.
- The leaked data places the mini at 4GB of RAM, up from 3GB, while the ninth-generation iPad holds at 3GB.
- Orders are open now, and teardowns and regulatory filings are poised to confirm or overturn the memory figures before the September 24 launch.
Apple keeps its specifications on the box only partly, and so a question as small as how much working memory a tablet holds must be answered by reading the traces left in its developer tools. This week a redesigned sixth-generation iPad mini arrived with the look and internals of a larger sibling, and reports drawn from leaked Xcode 13 beta strings place its memory at 4GB, a step up from its predecessor. The figure remains a reading of signs rather than an announcement, and it will be tested against hardware as the device reaches buyers on September 24.
Apple does not print memory figures on its boxes, so the answer to a simple question about its newest tablet had to be pieced together from elsewhere. This week the company unveiled a redesigned sixth-generation iPad mini, and MacRumors reports it carries 4GB of RAM, up from the 3GB of the model it replaces.
The number came from strings inside the Xcode 13 beta, Apple's developer software. The same strings show the ninth-generation iPad still has 3GB, unchanged from its predecessor. Apple itself has not confirmed either figure.
The mini has changed considerably. It now resembles the iPad Air, with slimmer bezels, a Touch ID power button, a USB-C port and support for the second-generation Apple Pencil, all powered by the A15 Bionic chip found in the iPhone 13. Its 4GB places it level with the latest iPad Air and below the iPad Pro, which reaches 16GB.
MacRumors cites a record of accuracy for this method, since similar beta strings correctly revealed memory in earlier iPhones, including the iPhone 12. Independent teardowns and regulatory filings should soon test the claim, and the devices reach buyers on Friday, September 24.
Apple does not put a memory number on the box, so the answer to a simple question about its newest tablet had to come from somewhere else. This week the company introduced a redesigned sixth-generation iPad mini, and MacRumors reports that the device carries 4GB of RAM, up from the 3GB in the model it replaces.
The figure comes from strings found inside the Xcode 13 beta, Apple's developer software. MacRumors says it can confirm the amount from those strings. The same strings also show that the ninth-generation iPad has 3GB of RAM, unchanged from the eighth-generation model. The source does not describe Apple confirming either number.
The iPad mini itself has changed a good deal. It now looks much closer to the current iPad Air, with slimmer bezels and a Touch ID power button. It has a USB-C port and works with the second-generation Apple Pencil. Inside is the A15 Bionic, the same chip that powers the iPhone 13 models.
The new mini's memory sits in the middle of Apple's tablet range. The latest iPad Air also has 4GB of RAM. The iPad Pro is available with up to 16GB, depending on the storage capacity chosen. The standard iPad, at 3GB, remains the lowest of the group.
MacRumors points to a track record for this method. The same type of Xcode strings accurately revealed the RAM in the iPhone 12 models last year and in several earlier iPhone generations. That history is the basis for treating the iPad numbers as reliable before any hardware has shipped.
Independent checks are expected soon. Teardowns and regulatory filings should offer further confirmation in the coming days, according to the report.
Both the new iPad mini and the new iPad can be ordered now on Apple's website. They launch on Friday, September 24, when the first teardowns can begin to settle whether the Xcode figures hold.
Citações Notáveis
The same type of Xcode strings accurately revealed the RAM in iPhone 12 models last year and in several previous iPhone generations.— MacRumors
Quer a matéria completa?
Leia o original em MacRumors ↗
Technology