According to the latest report from supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple plans to slightly increase the memory to 9GB on the entry-level iPhone 18 series released in the spring of 2027 to improve the performance of Apple Intelligence-related functions. In comparison, the existing iPhone 17 and iPhone 17e have 8GB of memory, and the new models are expected to have 1GB more, providing more room for AI tasks.
The report pointed out that this adjustment is mainly targeted at low-end models, including the expected iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e, both of which will be equipped with A20 chips and equipped with 9GB of memory. Ming-Chi Kuo believes that the core purpose of this upgrade is to keep the system smooth under high load when processing local AI tasks brought by Apple Intelligence.
As for high-end models, iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to maintain 12GB memory configuration, consistent with the current iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. According to Ming-Chi Kuo’s description on the X platform, the A20 chip will use a 1.5GB × 6-piece package to achieve 9GB capacity, while the A20 Pro may achieve 12GB through a 1.5GB × 8-piece package.
This memory upgrade is closely related to Apple’s recent AI layout at the software level. Apple has released iOS 27 at WWDC in June 2026, announcing that it will bring a number of Apple Intelligence features, including the new Siri AI, to iPhones and other devices, and plans to officially push the update this fall. Judging from this timeline, upgrading the memory in advance for the iPhone 18 series released next spring will help ensure that the new phone has sufficient margin when running various AI functions of iOS 27.
What is currently known is that as long as the device has 8GB of memory, it can run basic Apple Intelligence and Siri AI functions. However, Apple's more advanced local AI models are currently limited to models with 12GB of RAM, such as the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. As for whether the future iPhone 18 with 9GB of memory will also unlock some or all local model support, it is still unknown. The outside world cannot yet tell where Apple will set the threshold between 8GB and 12GB.
According to the current rhythm of leaks, if everything goes well, Apple is expected to release autumn flagship models such as iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone Ultra this fall. The iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e, which are positioned more towards the mass market, will continue the "dual-cycle" strategy and debut in the spring of 2027, focusing on a balanced configuration of the latest chips and a better AI experience.