It is almost certain that Apple will launch the iPhone 18 in early 2027 instead of this fall alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone Ultra. Little more is as certain about the vanilla model, but a new report is suggesting some positive news.
Apple may increase the iPhone 18's RAM
We’ve already heard multiple times that the A20 chip that Apple will use on all iPhone 18 models will be manufactured on TSMC’s 2nm process, leading to several improvements. Now, analyst Dan Nystedt says in a tweet that the rumor has resurfaced, adding that the chip will come with a RAM boost.
Which upgrade would be more important for you?
According to this new detail, Apple may feature 12 GB of RAM on all iPhone 18 models, which would be a 50% boost from the base iPhone 17. That would add to the 15% performance increase the A20 chip is expected to have over last year’s A19.
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Uncertain information
While we heard about a RAM boost for the new iPhones last year, more recent rumors claimed that the iPhone 18 will see numerous downgrades to keep the price down. Reportedly, Apple will make the manufacturing process of the base iPhone 18 and the iPhone 18e closer than before as a cost-cutting measure.
The iPhone 17e and iPhone 17 feature the same amount of RAM. | Image by PhoneArena
Among the compromises that Apple is rumored to consider is downgrading the chip and the display of the vanilla iPhone 18, while another source said that the memory could also suffer. That’s in contrast with Nystedt’s claims.
More RAM still makes sense
Just like the iPhone 16e before it, the iPhone 17e features a version of the current Apple chipset that misses one GPU core. The rest of the main specs are the same on the two models, including the amount of RAM.
If Apple were to increase the iPhone 18 RAM to 12 GB, it would make sense for the change to transfer to the iPhone 18e anyway. I’d bet that the rumored downgrade will remain limited to the GPU and won’t translate to the memory of the new phones.
Apple is expected to finally deliver on its AI promises with iOS 27, including the improved and more personalized version of Siri. Those features will likely work just fine with 8 GB RAM, at least initially, but making the iPhone 18 more future-proof will probably require the extra RAM.
It’s not all bad news
In the past, Apple has made various compromises with the iPhone, but they were never related to the chipset. That’s why I think the iPhone 18 won’t feature any downgrades that would harm its performance.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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