Run Gemma 4 on iPhone 16 with Google AI Edge Gallery

iPhone 16 with the standard A18 chip is the most affordable iPhone with 8 GB of RAM, which makes it the entry point for serious on-device AI on Apple's mobile lineup. Google Gemma 4 E2B runs comfortably here at an estimated 25 tokens per second through Google AI Edge Gallery. You get the same Apple Intelligence capabilities as the Pro models plus a fully offline Gemma chat that works in airplane mode. For most users, this is the best AI iPhone per dollar.

Apple A188 GB RAM2024

Quick answer

On the iPhone 16 (Apple A18, 8GB RAM), run Google Gemma 4 E2B at ~25 tok/s (est.) via Google AI Edge Gallery. Gemma 4 E2B is ~2.5 GB on disk and uses 1-1.5 GB in memory, fully offline, no account required.

→ Install Google AI Edge Gallery (iOS 17+), then download Gemma 4.

TOP PICK

Gemma 4 E2B

SPEED

~25 tok/s (est.)

DEVICE RAM

8 GB

Speed is a ModelFit estimate from chip generation, not a measured benchmark.

Verdict

Recommended: Gemma 4 E2B

iPhone 16 is the best-value iPhone for on-device Gemma. Same RAM as the Pro, slightly slower silicon, much lower price.

Hardware Profile

DEVICE

iPhone 16

CHIP

Apple A18

RAM

8 GB

NEURAL ENGINE

16-core

Gemma 4 Performance on iPhone 16

Model	Download	RAM in Use	Speed	Source
Gemma 4 E2BTop Pick	~2.5 GB	1-1.5 GB	~25 tok/s	Estimated
Gemma 4 E4B	~5 GB	2-3 GB	~12 tok/s	Estimated

Speeds via Google AI Edge Gallery on iOS 17+. "Measured" numbers come from real-world Hacker News user reports; "Estimated" numbers are interpolations from chip generation. Both Gemma 4 variants use int4 quantization-aware training.

Best for

First on-device AI iPhone for non-Pro buyers
Daily chat, writing, translation tasks
Photo + question workflow via Ask Image
Travel use cases where offline matters

Watch outs

A18 (non-Pro) is ~15-20% slower than A18 Pro for Gemma inference
E4B works but is tight on 8 GB. Prefer E2B for daily use
Initial download of E2B is 2.5 GB. Use Wi-Fi

Setup Guide

Step-by-step install for Google AI Edge Gallery on iPhone 16, plus full benchmarks and the privacy details.

Read the full guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Does iPhone 16 have enough RAM for Gemma 4?

Yes. iPhone 16 ships with 8 GB of RAM, the same as the iPhone 16 Pro. That is enough to run Google Gemma 4 E2B (1-1.5 GB in active use) comfortably and to run E4B in a constrained mode where iOS aggressively manages background apps.

How fast is Gemma 4 E2B on iPhone 16?

Estimated at roughly 25 tokens per second. iPhone 16 Pro is the only A18-class device with measured numbers (~30 tok/s), and the standard A18 in iPhone 16 is typically 15-20% slower than the A18 Pro on neural workloads.

Should I get iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro for local AI?

For Gemma 4 E2B, both work and the difference is roughly 5 tokens per second. iPhone 16 Pro is the better pick if you also want better cameras and ProMotion. For pure AI value, iPhone 16 wins on price.

Can iPhone 16 run AI offline in airplane mode?

Yes. Once the Gemma 4 E2B model is downloaded inside Google AI Edge Gallery, all inference runs locally on the iPhone. You can enable airplane mode and continue chatting indefinitely with no network access.