iPad Air Virtual memory

[R!TTER]

So just installed the OS 16 beta on 2020 iPad Air, not enabled or available yet for the non M1 iPads?

 

[rui no onna]

Seems like there’s a 256GB storage minimum for the Air 4. Apart from Air 4 256GB, non-M1 iPads aren’t getting this feature.

 

[R!TTER]

Yes checked the iPad OS beta page on Apple, they list this -

 

[R!TTER]

Which seems really odd because the 2022 Air isn't listed with 256GB minimum storage as a prerequisite!

 

[TheRealAlex]

This is the main feature I’m looking forward to. But I just realized as if I need my Apps to load faster off my 2018 11” Pro. 0.5 seconds vs 0.7 seconds I mean everything launches immediately anyways.

 

[rui no onna]

Which seems really odd because the 2022 Air isn't listed with 256GB minimum storage as a prerequisite!

As @Digitalguy mentioned in another thread, perhaps Apple is expecting more swapping/SSD wear on the Air 4 with 4GB RAM compared to the Air 5 with 8GB.

I think my desktop SSD does around 50GB host writes per day. Estimate 3x write amplification and that would kill a 64GB SSD with 3,000 P/E cycles in around 3.5 years. Meanwhile, 256GB will last 14 years under the same scenario.

 

[R!TTER]

Not sure about that, also why have they mentioned the two iPad pros in the 19th footnote & not 2022 Air? Do they also need 256GB minimum storage for virtual memory to be enabled?

 

[Tankmaze]

Yes checked the iPad OS beta page on Apple, they list this - View attachment 2015810

So iPad Pro M1 with 128 GB can have virtual memory, but no mention for the 64 GB iPad Air M1, and only mention iPad Air A14 with 256 GB storage minimum, this is confusing.

 

[rui no onna]

Not sure about that, also why have they mentioned the two iPad pros in the 19th footnote & not 2022 Air? Do they also need 256GB minimum storage for virtual memory to be enabled?

They announced on the keynote that it’s coming to M1 iPads so I expect Air 5th gen will have it (on 256GB at least).

Of course, another possibility is that Air 4th gen on the footnotes is a typo and it should’ve been 5th gen.

 

[Falhófnir]

They announced on the keynote that it’s coming to M1 iPads so I expect Air 5th gen will have it (on 256GB at least).

Of course, another possibility is that Air 4th gen on the footnotes is a typo and it should’ve been 5th gen.

That makes more sense to me than randomly including the A14 based Air, but not the A15 based mini. 256 limitation is probably because 64GB is considered too small, while the Pros obviously start at 128GB.

 

[Digitalguy]

That makes more sense to me than randomly including the A14 based Air, but not the A15 based mini. 256 limitation is probably because 64GB is considered too small, while the Pros obviously start at 128GB.

Everything is possible but I wouldn't be surprised that the treat the mini differently from other iPads, because it's smaller and does not have a smart connector

 

[Falhófnir]

Everything is possible but I wouldn't be surprised that the treat the mini differently from other iPads, because it's smaller and does not have a smart connector

That may be a consideration, but then even aside from the mini, why include the 4GB A14 based Air 4 but not the 6GB A12X 2020 iPP? I would have thought the RAM was a much more pressing bottleneck than chip performance (and the A12X is marginally ahead of the A14 for multicore performance and graphics).

 

[R!TTER]

Of course, another possibility is that Air 4th gen on the footnotes is a typo and it should’ve been 5th gen.

This makes the most sense to me 😁

 

[rushmere]

Of course, another possibility is that Air 4th gen on the footnotes is a typo and it should’ve been 5th gen.

Yes, the footnote has now been corrected:

 

[R!TTER]

Well that sucks

 

[Ponylover52]

Very interested going forward to see how a 64gb iPad Air M1 will be impacted vs a 256gb one that gets this, I presume just more usability with apps not needing to reload as much but curious how effective/notable having the ability is. Then again if you were really trying to be a full time iPad user even for barebones productivity, its not hard to justify hopping up to the 256gb over a 64gb machine.