iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e could get a RAM boost to support Apple’s new AI features
Apple’s next mainstream iPhones may be getting a small but important memory upgrade as the company prepares to push deeper into on-device artificial intelligence. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e are expected to feature 9GB of RAM, up from the 8GB used in current lower-end models.
The change may not sound dramatic on paper, but it could play a key role in how Apple handles AI performance on future iPhones. Kuo claims Apple will use a new memory arrangement made up of six 1.5GB RAM dies, instead of the more common setup of four 2GB dies. This configuration would give the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e a total of 9GB of memory, reportedly to help the system run more smoothly during AI-heavy tasks.
Apple has been working to expand its AI capabilities across iOS, with a major focus on a more advanced Siri experience and smarter system-level features. These upgrades are expected to require more memory than previous iPhone software features, especially if Apple wants more tasks to run directly on the device rather than relying heavily on cloud processing.
However, it is still unclear whether 9GB of RAM will be enough for the full set of upcoming Apple AI features. The iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the rumored iPhone Ultra are expected to offer 12GB of RAM using eight 1.5GB dies. That higher memory capacity is believed to be the target for running Apple’s most advanced AI tools without major limitations.
This raises an important question for buyers: will the standard iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e support the same AI features as the Pro models, or will Apple reserve some capabilities for its more expensive devices?
The iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e are also expected to be powered by Apple’s A20 chip, which should bring performance and efficiency improvements. A more powerful chip paired with slightly more RAM could make the standard iPhone 18 lineup much better suited for AI, multitasking, photography enhancements, and future iOS updates. Still, if Apple sets 12GB as the ideal memory requirement for its most demanding AI functions, the 9GB models may not receive every feature.
The latest claim also differs from an earlier rumor suggesting that the regular iPhone 18 would move directly to 12GB of RAM, matching the Pro models. That earlier report also suggested pricing could remain close to the 256GB iPhone 17. Recent developments now make that look less likely, especially as Apple is expected to raise prices across the iPhone 18 lineup.
Reports have suggested that the iPhone 18 Pro could approach a price of around $1,400, which would mark a significant jump for Apple’s flagship models. If that price increase happens, Apple may use RAM, AI features, camera upgrades, and design changes to create a clearer gap between the standard iPhone 18, the more affordable iPhone 18e, and the premium Pro models.
For now, the rumored 9GB RAM upgrade suggests Apple is trying to prepare even its lower-end iPhones for the next generation of AI-driven features. Whether that memory increase will be enough to deliver the full Apple Intelligence experience remains one of the biggest questions surrounding the iPhone 18 series.
