Recent reports indicate that Apple is planning to significantly enhance the base model iPhone’s Random Access Memory (RAM) capacity. The forthcoming iPhone, tentatively designated as the iPhone 18, is anticipated to feature 12GB of RAM. This represents a substantial increase compared to the iPhone 17 base model, which currently utilizes 8GB of RAM. Notably, this 12GB configuration aligns the base iPhone with the RAM capacity of the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and potentially future iPhone Air models.
Industry analysts suggest that Apple has requested its primary component supplier, Samsung, to augment its supply of Low Power Double Data Rate 5X (LPDDR5X) RAM modules for the next generation of iPhones. Samsung’s manufacturing capabilities currently focus on 12GB and 16GB LPDDR5X RAM modules, implying the 12GB configuration for the iPhone 18.
The integration of 12GB of RAM is expected to facilitate the efficient execution of on-device Artificial Intelligence (AI) models. The increased memory capacity is crucial for handling the computational demands of AI tasks, which are often resource-intensive and challenging to perform effectively with the existing 8GB configuration.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Furthermore, sources indicate a potential shift in Apple’s product release cadence. Starting in 2026, Apple may adopt a staggered release strategy. Under this revised schedule, the iPhone Pro models, along with potential form factors like the iPhone Fold or iPhone Air, are projected for release in the fall of 2026. The base model iPhone 18 is then tentatively scheduled for a spring 2027 launch.
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Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
