Virtual Memory Swap?

[bmac89]

Hello,

I’m interested to learn more about the virtual memory swap feature. This sounds like what I have been wanting to see added to iPadOS for a long while.

Does this mean memory will swap to storage when necessary and will prevent apps refreshing and Safari tabs reloading due to memory management?

I wonder what the limitations of the memory swap are? I.e. Will this benefit every app from system level or will app developers need to make changes first? Can you have 100s of Safari tabs open in the background and never have them auto-reload due to memory management? Can you leave an app in background indefinitely and not lose unsaved text (i.e. website text form or app which doesn’t auto save etc)?

Any other information about this feature?

Thanks!

 

[Feenician]

Hello,

I’m interested to learn more about the virtual memory swap feature. This sounds like what I have been wanting to see added to iPadOS for a long while.

Does this mean memory will swap to storage when necessary and will prevent apps refreshing and Safari tabs reloading due to memory management?

I wonder what the limitations of the memory swap are? I.e. Will this benefit every app from system level or will app developers need to make changes first? Can you have 100s of Safari tabs open in the background and never have them auto-reload due to memory management? Can you leave an app in background indefinitely and not lose unsaved text (i.e. website text form or app which doesn’t auto save etc)?

Any other information about this feature?

Thanks!

It will be interesting to see what level of "swappiness" (i.e. how eagerly iOS may swap out unused memory pages) they use, and what type of algorithm they use to manage pages. They might just have lifted the implementation straight out of MacOS, which is quite aggressively (but smartly) swappy. Sadly, I don't have a suitable iPad to find out

 

[symphony]

I’m sure there is an upcoming WWDC session about this that you can watch soon

 

[Feenician]

I’m sure there is an upcoming WWDC session about this that you can watch soon

Very true

 

[bmac89]

I think this is one of the most exciting features of 16, even though my iPad misses out due to age. I just hope they get the memory management right, making the iPad memory function like a mac & preventing apps & tabs reloading and loss of unsaved text (i.e. website text form).

I will keep an eye out for the session and further information - thanks.

 

[symphony]

I think this is one of the most exciting features of 16, even though my iPad misses out due to age. I just hope they get the memory management right, making the iPad memory function like a mac & preventing apps & tabs reloading and loss of unsaved text (i.e. website text form).

I will keep an eye out for the session and further information - thanks.

Post here if you find it.

I don’t seem to see it listed in any of the future sessions.

 

[bmac89]

Post here if you find it.

I don’t seem to see it listed in any of the future sessions.

Will do. I haven’t seen anything either.

The following MacRumors article doesn’t really shed any more light on the feature.

iPadOS 16 Lets Apps Use Storage as Virtual RAM on M1 iPads

Apple is adding virtual memory swap to iPadOS 16, allowing apps on the recent iPad Pro and iPad Air models to use free and available storage as extra...

www.macrumors.com

 

[SoYoung]

I don’t know if it’s a coincidence or not but I do notice a difference on my 2018 iPad Pro in term of ram management. Games and safari tabs seems to hold way longer on iPadOS 16 compared to 15.

 

[symphony]

Profile and optimize your game's memory - WWDC22 - Videos - Apple Developer

Learn how Apple platforms calculate and allocate memory for your game. We'll show you how to use Instruments and the Game Memory template...

developer.apple.com

I wonder if they’ll mention it here

 

[symphony]

I don’t know if it’s a coincidence or not but I do notice a difference on my 2018 iPad Pro in term of ram management. Games and safari tabs seems to hold way longer on iPadOS 16 compared to 15.

It sounds like virtual memory swap is only for M1

 

[SoYoung]

For those having a 16GB RAM M1 iPad is Memory swap will expand this or its only for the 8GB models?

 

[symphony]

For those having a 16GB RAM M1 iPad is Memory swap will expand this or its only for the 8GB models?

Craig said a single app can use up to 16GB of RAM, which is the same phrasing they use when they say iPads can go up to 16GB of RAM.

Which I interpret as 8GB RAM iPads have up to 8GB for a single app, and 16GB RAM iPads can go up to 16GB for a single app.

Virtual memory expands memory by using your storage. I guess when an app uses all 16GB of RAM, then your other apps gets moved to virtual memory.