Apple Intelligence needs at least 8GB of RAM, while advanced AI features are expected to require 12GB.
Analysts Jeff Pu and Ming-Chi Kuo independently predict the RAM upgrade
Apple may increase the amount of RAM in its next affordable iPhone, according to a new leak. The reported upgrade could give the iPhone 18e more room to handle Apple Intelligence features even as memory prices continue to climb worldwide. Most of the handset's other specifications are expected to remain unchanged, with current reports pointing to the return of a 60Hz display, a single rear camera and a 6.1-inch screen alongside Apple's next-generation A20 processor.
According to GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu (via MacRumors), Apple is expected to equip the iPhone 18e with 9GB of RAM instead of the 8GB found on its predecessor. Ming-Chi Kuo has independently made the same prediction, and both analysts also expect the standard iPhone 18 to receive the same memory configuration.
The rumoured increase comes at a time when smartphone memory has become more expensive. Suppliers such as Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron have dedicated more manufacturing capacity to High Bandwidth Memory chips used in artificial intelligence servers, reducing the availability of conventional DRAM for phones.
Apple currently requires at least 8GB of RAM for Apple Intelligence, while some advanced features, including enhanced AI dictation and Expressive Siri voices, are said to need 12GB. Although the reported increase is only 1GB, it could allow more AI processing to take place directly on the device.
Earlier reports indicate that Apple is not planning major hardware changes elsewhere. The iPhone 18e is expected to retain a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate, a single 48-megapixel rear camera and a 24-megapixel front-facing camera. Storage options are tipped to include 256GB and 512GB, while the handset is also expected to adopt Apple's A20 chip built on TSMC's 2nm process.
Reports also suggest Apple will continue to reserve higher-refresh-rate displays for its more expensive models, meaning the iPhone 18e is unlikely to receive a 120Hz panel. The handset is currently expected to arrive in early 2027 alongside the standard iPhone 18, and Apple could also unveil the second-generation iPhone Air during the same launch period.
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