New ‘HomeAccessory’ Might Force Apple to Quit Being So Stingy With RAM

Apple is building a new HomePod with a display and a chip powerful enough to run all its new AI features—something that even some current MacBook Pro models cannot do.

Apple has been caught out by the AI stampede. Only its very top-end computers will be able to run Apple Intelligence on-device. This may seem odd, as Apple Silicon is extremely powerful and capable, and Apple's systems have included the Neural Engine, a chip dedicated to machine learning and AI tasks, for years. So why can't even the base-level MacBook Pro run AI? Because of Apple's penny-pinching RAM policy. Now, it will have to catch up, starting with a new HomePod-like home hub.

"Particularly given the premium price point of their products, Apple’s strategy of offering lower RAM configurations in their products in base models has always caused controversy among their consumers. I have seen first-hand how consumers can feel constrained by this issue, especially when using more demanding applications and multitasking capabilities," Steven Athwal, CEO of The Big Phone Store, told Lifewire via email. "AI advancements could significantly influence Apple’s RAM policy, as AI applications need a lot of power and memory to run smoothly. As Apple continues to push the boundaries of AI in its devices, we might see an increase in RAM specifications to support these advanced features."

Apple's RAM Problem

If you buy an Apple computer, it comes with a bare minimum of RAM. Apple's MacBooks Air and Pro have managed to hobble along with just 8GB RAM for years because many people don't push their machines, and today's SSD storage is fast enough to step in and help, providing slower but usable 'swap space' when needed.

This parsimonious memory allocation has two obvious advantages for Apple. One, it can lower the price of its entry-level computers, and two, it gets to sell extra RAM to buyers at inflated prices (you cannot upgrade at a later date). To increase from 8GB to 16 RAM in the MacBook Pro for example, will cost $200. Yes, that's $200 for 8GB.

But now Apple has a problem. One thing that AI really needs is RAM. It needs to hold its model in memory alongside all the other stuff that uses RAM on your computer. This is why even the M3 MacBook Pro, at $1,599 and with only 8GB RAM, will not be able to run many Apple Intelligence features when they arrive this year or next.

Better Siri

It's bad enough that Apple's flagship computer model, the latest version that is still on sale, won't be capable of running this year's feature updates. But on the other hand, you can happily ignore all this AI guff and keep using your computer as before. Some users might even see the lack of AI capability as a bonus.

But for Apple's lesser devices, its stingy RAM policy is a disaster.

Siri, as we all know, is terrible. It's so bad that some of us have taken to calling Apple's improved AI-based version "Better Siri." But Siri is the primary interface for many of Apple's devices. It's the only way to use a HomePod, it's often the least frustrating way to use the AppleTV, and it's the primary interaction method with your phone when you're out and about wearing AirPods.

These devices are all in desperate need of Better Siri, a Siri that can actually do something barely resembling what you asked for. But none of those devices is getting Apple Intelligence. Thanks to Apple's (excellent) insistence on running AI on the device instead of in the cloud, for privacy purposes, none of its HomePods have the required power. The only iPhone able to run AI so far is the iPhone 15 Pro. That is, even the current iPhone 15 will not manage it. The reason? Almost certainly a lack of RAM. Its forthcoming HomePod with a display, codenamed HomeAccessory, will feature a powerful A18 chip and is certain to get the required RAM to do its job.

"On the one hand, they should want their users to be able to use the AI tools so that they learn to enjoy and rely upon them. Usage is the most necessary step for adoption," Edward Tian, CEO of AI-detection site GPTZero, told Lifewire via email. "On the other hand, Apple has always been all about trying to get people to buy the latest models of their products. This presents them the opportunity to make their newest upcoming devices more desirable with being effectively equipped to handle their AI, which might entice even more people to buy."

It's a pretty safe bet that a big part of Apple's iPhone 16 marketing campaign this fall will be about AI, and it's going to be very interesting to see how it raises the base RAM spec in all its devices. This side-effect of jamming AI into everything could actually be a silver lining for those of us who don't care for AI at all. At least our Macs and iPhones will no longer be hobbled.