October 27, 2025, 2:45 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
For years, Apple was able to save money on memory through software optimization. Despite having significantly less RAM, the iPhone outperformed its better-equipped Android competitors. However, the AI revolution is now causing requirements to rise. To keep up, the upcoming iPhone 18 is expected to have even more RAM.
More Capacity for Artificial Intelligence
As reported by “MacRumors,” Apple plans to increase the memory by another 50 percent compared to the iPhone 17 Pro. The information comes from the South Korean industry magazine “The Bell,” which cites reports from the Apple supply chain.
According to this, the company plans to increase the RAM size from 12 gigabytes in the iPhone 17 Pro to 18 GB in the iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2. Not only the higher-priced devices will receive the larger memory, but also the standard iPhone 18 model. The reason for this is the increased requirements for running AI models.
Samsung to Ramp Up Production
According to “The Bell,” Apple has already asked Samsung to increase the production of LPDDR5X memory chips. The company is one of the largest DRAM manufacturers in the world and has been supplying Apple with its hardware for years.
Samsung offers the LPDDR5X chips only in capacities of 12 GB, 16 GB and higher. This suggests that the iPhone 18 will also receive more RAM. Apple is also reportedly in talks with SK Hynix and Micron about the supply of DRAM chips to avoid potential supply bottlenecks.
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Tripling of RAM Size Since 2022
In September 2022, the iPhone 14 Pro was released with 6 GB of memory. In 2023, Apple increased the size to 8 GB in the iPhone 15 Pro. For the iPhone 16, 8 GB became the standard, as Apple set this capacity as the minimum requirement for Apple Intelligence. However, with the iPhone 17 Pro, the company increased the RAM size again by 50 percent to 12 GB to enable additional AI applications.
The jump to 18 GB in the iPhone 18 Pro would thus represent a tripling of RAM capacity within just five years. In the past, only a doubling of memory occurred over the same period–such as from iPhone 11 Pro to 15 Pro and from iPhone 8 to iPhone 13.
First iPhone 18 Models to Appear in Fall 2026
Insider information suggests that Apple may only introduce the higher-priced iPhone models during the traditional launch period of September-October in the future. Thus, in fall 2026, only the iPhone 18, 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Air 2 are expected to be released. The iPhone 18 and the successor to the iPhone 16e are expected to hit the market in the first half of 2027.