Apple’s next mainstream iPhones may ship with an oddly sized memory upgrade: 9GB of RAM for the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The change would come from Apple shifting to 1.5GB LPDDR memory chips, a move that looks less flashy than a big benchmark-friendly jump, but makes sense if the company is trying to keep Apple Intelligence running smoothly across more devices.
Kuo says the budget-oriented iPhone models due in the first half of 2027, based on the A20 chip, would move to 9GB from 8GB in current models using the A19. The higher-end models would stay at 12GB, including the foldable iPhone Ultra and the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, which are said to use the A20 Pro. Apple, in other words, appears to be drawing a clear line between ”good enough for AI” and ”throw more silicon at it.”
Which iPhone 18 models get 9GB of RAM
According to the report, the 9GB configuration is aimed at the standard iPhone 18 and the iPhone 18e. That would leave the more expensive models on a separate tier, with 12GB reserved for the foldable iPhone Ultra, iPhone 18 Pro, and iPhone 18 Pro Max. This sort of split is familiar Apple behavior: keep the top models obviously better, but make the base phones just capable enough that nobody feels stranded by new software.
- iPhone 18: 9GB RAM
- iPhone 18e: 9GB RAM
- iPhone 18 Pro: 12GB RAM
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 12GB RAM
- iPhone Ultra: 12GB RAM
Why Apple is changing the memory layout
The stated reason is Apple Intelligence and a deeper system-level integration in iOS 27. More RAM also gives Apple room to keep cheaper models from feeling second-rate as on-device AI tasks get heavier. The twist is that Apple is not just adding memory; it is apparently redesigning the chip mix around 1.5GB LPDDR packages, which suggests the company cares as much about supply and efficiency as it does about headline specs.
The timing also matters. Apple has been steadily using RAM capacity as a product separator while rivals in the Android camp have pushed even more aggressive memory numbers in premium phones. If the iPhone 18 base models land at 9GB, that would be a practical bump, even if it sounds slightly odd next to the clean 8GB-to-12GB logic consumers are used to.
iPhone 18 rollout is still split in two
There is also a staggered launch plan in play. Apple is expected to show the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max first, in September, with the more affordable iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e following later, around spring 2027. That kind of two-step rollout gives Apple a longer premium-selling window, and it keeps the cheaper models from cannibalizing the first wave too quickly.
One more wrinkle: Kuo has also said Apple wants to push for memory purchases from China’s CXMT. If that happens, the 9GB move may be about more than AI readiness. It could also be Apple quietly reshaping its supply chain so the next iPhone generation is not only smarter, but easier for Apple to source at scale.