Apple's iPhone 18 to Feature Advanced Memory Technology, Boosting AI and Performance

Apple will switch to a much better type of memory for the iPhone 18

A leaker with a decent track record says that Apple will be switching to a much better type of integrated memory for the iPhone 18 line-up, offering three benefits over the current RAM spec. It's also looking increasingly likely that all iPhone 17 models will get 12GB of integrated memory to boost AI performance ... Apple last year boosted the RAM (really, integrated memory) to 8GB across the board, as the minimum required to power Apple Intelligence features. It was initially suggested that the two iPhone 17 Pro models would see a further increase to 12GB, while the standard and Air models remained on 8GB. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said earlier this week that the iPhone 17 Air would also get 12GB, and that the base model may do so, depending on memory supply issues. Digital chat station - who previously posted accurate leaks about the telephoto lens coming to the iPhone 16 Pro, and the larger sensor size in the main camera - is more definite in stating that all models will get the memory boost. The iPhone 17 series requires full Apple Intelligence and AI on a large scale, so it will have 12GB of memory on a large scale. They also cite supply chain sources pointing to Apple adopting 6-channel LPDDR5X memory next year. In addition, from the supply chain, the iPhone 18 series will launch a 6-channel LPDDR5X with large memory next year, and the performance section has begun to develop. DDR (Double Data Rate) memory was introduced as a way to increase bandwidth, thus increasing speed. LPDDR (Low Power Double Data Rate) was later added as a way to bring the same benefit to mobile devices like iPhones, but with the power efficiency needed. Current iPhones use a memory spec known as LPDDR5. The leaker suggests that Apple will next year upgrade to the fastest and most efficient version of this technology, known as LPDDR5X. Benefits include significant faster speeds, lower power draw, and improved reliability:

iPhone 18 to Use High Performance Six-Channel Memory, Claims Leaker

Apple's iPhone 18 lineup will introduce a major leap in memory performance, according to new information shared today by Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station. Apple is reportedly planning to equip the 2026 models with a high-capacity six-channel LPDDR5X memory configuration, significantly upping the memory bandwidth for future AI features and multitasking. Expanding the memory bandwidth should enable faster app switching, smoother multitasking, and significantly improved AI capabilities - all areas Apple would likely to heavily invest in as part of its broader Apple Intelligence strategy. Paired with the A20 Pro chip, which will reportedly be built using TSMC's third-generation 3nm process, the iPhone 18 Pro models would stand to benefit the most. The Weibo account Digital Chat Station has a decent track record with Apple product rumors, and they have previously shared accurate information about unreleased hardware from the broader semiconductor supply chain. Still, Apple's precise hardware plans could still evolve ahead of the iPhone 18's launch late next year. Before then, if supply chain shortages can be overcome, the iPhone 17 series is expected to see a move to 12GB of RAM as standard across all models. That transition is likely to set the stage for the more aggressive hardware upgrades rumored for 2025.

Here's one good thing about Apple Intelligence: All iPhones will have more RAM because of it

You may not need a disco ball pigeon. But you do need more RAM. Credit: Apple Long-promised Apple Intelligence features have finally trickled down to most iPhones, but the reactions are lukewarm. Early users weren't very interested according to this survey, and there are reports that Apple is internally disappointed at just how little its users are interacting with AI. Personally, I've found Apple Intelligence nice to have but not essential. There's one great thing about Apple Intelligence, though: Since it requires a lot of RAM to operate properly, Apple will reportedly be equipping all of its iPhone 17 models with 12GB of RAM. This is according to recent leaks from China, as well as reports from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. That's a big step up from the 8GB of RAM that you'll find in all of the iPhone 16 models. It's also rare for Apple to increase the amount of RAM so dramatically in all of its new iPhones, even the most affordable among them, the iPhone 17. The company doesn't necessarily need to do it; current models support AI with just 8GB of RAM, and Kuo says Apple hasn't yet decided whether it will launch all its new iPhones with 12GB of RAM. But the increase would likely make these iPhones super-smooth, and would pave the way for future, more advanced AI features. Even if you don't particularly care about AI, getting more RAM in even the basic model is good news for everyone, as it'll make the phone quicker and more responsive -- if Apple doesn't increase the price, that is. The iPhone 17 lineup is expected to be revealed in early September. Apple will reportedly add an entirely new, super-thin device to the lineup, possibly called the iPhone 17 Air.

iPhone 18 memory bandwidth boost will improve Apple Intelligence

The iPhone 18 will probably look like the iPhone 17, but with more performance improvements. The iPhone 18 could get a performance gain from memory, with Apple rumored to be using a new faster memory option in the 2026 releases. Memory is an important part of computing, especially for mobile devices like the iPhone and for AI applications. If a leaker is correct, Apple Intelligence could get a considerable boost in 2026. As part of a leak involving the memory of the iPhone 17, Weibo leaker "Digital Chat Station" posted on Tuesday about the iPhone 18 series. According to the social media account's supply chain sources, the iPhone 18 will be the first to launch with 6-channel LPDDR5X memory, and a larger package. The change should significantly increase the memory bandwidth, thereby increasing performance in various ways, such as making multitasking faster and for users to more quickly switch between apps. This can potentially speed up responses for Apple Intelligence tasks and on-device processing of Siri queries, too. While Digital Chat Station has a reasonably good track record when it comes to Apple products in general, the issue here is that it's a claim for a model that's a year and a half away from being introduced. That's still a considerable amount of time for Apple to make major changes to the iPhone 18's specifications, including the memory. While fewer in number than rumors for the upcoming iPhone 17 generation, there have been some previous discussions about memory and performance improvements in the iPhone 18. This has included an October 2024 claim that the A20 chip that should be included in the iPhone 18 will use a new Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module. It's a packaging technique that works with multiple dies, and enables separate dies to be fit together for more configuration options. The upshot is that Apple could potentially use the same CPU across the board, but include different GPUs, and even memory configurations, as part of the chip package. In December 2024, it was reported that Apple was working with Samsung to change how RAM is packaged, so that bandwidth could be increased. At the time, it was expected that a memory change was to take place for the iPhone 18. The memory bandwidth boost would be in tandem with other improvements to the chip, such as a prediction that the A20 could use a 2-nanometer process, helping increase overall responsiveness.

iPhone 18 Rumored To Feature Six-Channel Memory, Leading To Higher Performance And Bandwidth Necessary For Running AI-Focused Workloads, But Apple Will Not Shift To LPDDR6

Generative AI, gaming, and intense multitasking can benefit greatly from high-performance RAM, which is why Apple is rumored to double down on six-channel memory for next year's iPhone 18 series. Where the technology giant is said to increase the total amount of 12GB later this year, one tipster states that the company's focus will be to raise the performance level greatly, giving the newer models an edge in a multitude of applications. Multi-channel memory architecture helps to increase the data transfer rate between the DRAM memory and the memory controller by adding more communication channels. The latest rumor from Weibo tipster Digital Chat Station does not mention how switching to six-channel memory on the iPhone 18 series will alter efficiency, but he mentions that the performance side of things will take a major bump. Unfortunately, Apple has a habit of adopting the newer technological standards much later than the competition, which is why it will stick with LPDDR5X RAM, which is disappointing to hear, because the same tipster has mentioned that Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 will support LPDDR6 memory. The RAM's manufacturing process can also determine how efficient these chips will be, but the rumor did not provide those updates. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously stated that if Apple cannot resolve its memory supply shortages for the iPhone 17 family, then only three models will ship with 12GB RAM later this year. Assuming this claim ends up being true, Kuo predicts that all iPhone 18 models will ship with 12GB of memory as standard, which makes this specification unchanged from its immediate predecessor. While the lack of a change in this area will disappoint potential buyers, Apple has a reputation for developing a memory-efficient operating system, negating the need for a higher RAM count, which would otherwise chew through battery life.