Waiting for the vanilla iPhone 18 just became a much smarter move. According to information from an industry analyst, the regular iPhone 18 is set for two Pro-grade upgrades when it launches in Q1 2027.
The iPhone 18 is getting more RAM
The 12GB RAM upgrade might not be limited to the iPhone 18 Pro models. | Image by Sonny Dickson
The information comes from Jeff Pu, a prominent tech industry analyst based in Hong Kong (picked up by MacRumors). The first flagship feature that the regular iPhone 18 will be stealing is RAM. According to Pu, Apple will bump up the RAM on the iPhone 18 from 8GB to 12GB, the same as what's expected on the Pro models.
The same rumor surfaced earlier in April from analyst Dan Nystedt, also citing 12GB RAM for the base iPhone 18 model. The info contradicts with another big name in the world of smartphone rumors—Ming-Chi Kuo.
Would you wait for the iPhone 18 if it gets 12GB of RAM and a narrower Dynamic Island?
Ming-Chi Kuo thinks cheaper iPhone 18 models won't get the RAM upgrade
The most recent report about the iPhone 18 RAM situation comes from the prolific figure in the world of smartphone leaks and insider information — Ming-Chi Kuo.
Jeff Pu agrees with his colleague, at least to some extent. He thinks the iPhone 18e will indeed feature 9GB of RAM, but the vanilla iPhone 18 will get the 12GB upgrade. Both phones are expected to sport the A20 chipset.
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Narrow Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18?
The iPhone 18's Dynamic Island has shrunk. | Image by Ice Universe
The second big Pro-grade upgrade on the iPhone 18 is the narrower Dynamic Island. I've been seeing this feature thrown left and right when it comes to the iPhone 18, but in most cases it's supposed to be reserved for the iPhone 18 Pro models.
Don't rule out a smaller Dynamic Island for the iPhone 18 series just yet. | Image by Weibo
Pu believes that won't be the case. The analyst thinks the new and narrower Dynamic Island will be adopted across all iPhone 18 devices. This was corroborated by the prolific Chinese leaker Ice Universe, so things are looking good for the vanilla iPhone 18. Speaking of which.
Should you wait for the delayed iPhone 18?
The iPhone 17 was a great deal when it launched last year. The case might be the same with the iPhone 18. | Image by PhoneArena
If you ask me, the iPhone 18 is shaping out to be a better deal than the Pro models, delayed or not. With the current chip shortages raging and the price of the iPhone 18 Pro models expected to hike between $200 and $300, some patience might go a long way.
Last year's iPhone 17 proved to be a great deal, as Apple managed to keep the price intact while bringing some of the most substantial upgrades the base model had seen in recent years. The case might be the same with the iPhone 18.
Read more about the upcoming iPhone 18 series here:
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Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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