Currently, the most frequently used AI feature on my Apple Intelligence is the Live Translate. Recently, however, there has been a significant change regarding the storage requirements for Apple Intelligence. Initially reported to occupy just 4GB on compatible iPhones, this storage demand has nearly doubled.
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With the rollout of iOS 18.2, Apple Intelligence's storage footprint has now increased to 7GB. This shift means that owners of the iPhone 16 Plus, for instance, see the AI occupying about 5.5% of the total storage on their devices, compared to just 3% previously. Moreover, the minimum storage available on the iPhone 15 Pro Max has also become a point of concern as users reevaluate their storage needs.
Looking ahead, it's likely that Apple Intelligence will continue to require more storage over time. This trend suggests that Apple will need to offer higher base storage options on more devices, not just the premium models. Moreover, since a minimum of 8GB of RAM is necessary for functioning with Apple Intelligence, newer models such as the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have been equipped with 8GB of RAM, a step up from the earlier 6GB present in the previous generation of the Apple Intelligence.
While users have the option to disable Apple Intelligence, doing so can feel like opening Pandora's Box; once installed, reclaiming the lost storage space may not be entirely possible, even with the AI feature turned off.
