Apple has revealed the actual capabilities of its most powerful on-device model to date – and the list is shorter than the hardware requirements would suggest. Two features of the new Siri require 12 GB of RAM, and that's precisely where the regular iPhone 17 falls short.
With the unveiling of Siri AI at WWDC, Apple fundamentally revamped its assistant: It understands personal context, accesses global knowledge from the internet, and can categorize on-screen content. Those wanting to know what's behind the new, significantly more conversational version can find the explanation in Apple's presentation of the new Siri. One detail from the announcement is now sparking discussion: Apple's most advanced on-device model, which powers two specific Siri functions, requires 12 GB of RAM – a threshold that the base iPhone 17 doesn't meet.
Two functions require 12 GB of RAM
Apple has confirmed that the most powerful on-device model enables two things: more expressive voices for Siri and a significant improvement in the accuracy of the system-wide dictation function. Both require 12 GB of unified memory.
Among current iPhones, only the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max meet this requirement. Also included are iPad models with an M4 chip or newer, Macs with an M3 or newer, and the Apple Vision Pro with an M5. The regular iPhone 17 is excluded: With its 8 GB – the minimum that Apple Intelligence has required since launch – the entry-level flagship falls short of the new threshold. This is the first time Apple has raised this limit, as Apple Intelligence has consistently managed with 8 GB since its introduction two years ago.
What the 12 GB actually bring
On the voice settings page, you can adjust the intensity and speaking pace of Siri's voice, so the assistant sounds the way you prefer. The bigger innovation, however, lies in the dictation function. According to Apple, the most advanced on-device model converts speech directly into cleanly formatted text: capitalization, punctuation, and formatting are automatically preserved, while improved speech recognition is designed to reduce errors. Anyone who regularly dictates longer messages or notes will likely notice the difference immediately.
Which the base iPhone 17 also gets
It's important to clarify: The 12GB requirement doesn't affect Siri AI as a whole, but only improves how Siri sounds and how accurately it transcribes. All other components of the new Siri continue to run on Apple's broader list of AI-enabled devices – including personal contextual understanding, screen perception, web responses, the standalone Siri app, visual intelligence, and writing tools. This list still includes the iPhone 15 Pro, the iPhone 16 series, and the iPhone 17.
In other words, owners of a regular iPhone 17 will also receive the new, chatbot-like assistant with iOS 27. They will simply have to make do with the existing voices and a less precise dictation function.
Users in the EU face greater restrictions
For German-speaking audiences, a different issue is more significant than the RAM question. According to Apple's own announcement, Siri AI will initially only be available in the EU on Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro, provided a supported language is selected. The new assistant will not be available on iPhone and iPad in the EU at first; Apple states that it is working on a solution that protects user privacy and security. The regulatory reasons for this delay can be understood in our analysis of why the DMA is slowing down Siri AI on iPhone and iPad.
For EU iPhone buyers, the question of whether the base model misses out on two additional features is therefore of secondary importance for the time being – as long as Siri AI isn't launching on the iPhone in these regions anyway. Furthermore, the new Siri will initially only be available for devices with English language settings, and Apple plans to add other languages gradually. Siri AI will also remain unavailable in China for now, while Apple clarifies the regulatory requirements there.
Availability of the new Siri
iOS 27 is currently in developer beta; a public beta will follow next month, with general release in the fall. According to reports, the Siri AI features will appear as a beta later this year – initially for supported devices with English language settings.
When the RAM becomes noticeable
Whether the difference is noticeable in everyday use depends heavily on usage patterns. Those who dictate messages and notes all day will noticeably benefit from the more precise text recognition of the larger model. For everyone else, the lack of more refined voices and a slightly more accurate dictation function is unlikely to be significant. The most noteworthy signal, however, is that Apple is beginning to more strongly prioritize its AI features based on RAM – an indication that future models may raise the bar even further. (Image: Apple)
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