Apple Increases iPhone 18 RAM to 12GB for AI

Apple is reportedly upgrading the standard iPhone 18 with 12GB of RAM, a 50% increase over the 8GB found in the iPhone 17. This hardware shift aims to meet the high memory demands of local AI processing and new features planned for iOS 27, including a redesigned Siri, while bringing the device in line with Samsung's Galaxy S25 and S26 series.

The device will feature the A20 chipset, manufactured by TSMC using a 2nm process. This new architecture is expected to deliver 15% better performance than 3nm chips without sacrificing power efficiency. Other rumored specifications include a 6.3-inch OLED ProMotion display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 24-megapixel Centre Stage selfie camera, and a smaller Dynamic Island.

To manage supply chain pressures and costs, the company may implement a staggered release schedule. Under this plan, premium iPhone 18 models would launch later this year, while the base model could be delayed until early or spring 2027. This potential delay would see the standard model launch alongside the iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2, coinciding with the release of the Galaxy S27.