2027 iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e to Get 9GB RAM and A20 Chip

[Sami13496]

Maybe I just don’t understand how this memory stuff works.

🙄

 

[crsh1976]

It's the AI era, meaning the "Pro" AI model needs a Pro phone. No different than when cameras were the rage. You didn't get ProRAW on the base iPhone.

The narrative has gone from justifying why older, RAM limited models don't get all the AI features to why some features will forever only be available on Pro models because non-Pro devices will never have the required amount of RAM.

The future of gouging, ladies & gents.

 

[ab2c4]

18 and 36 I get. It is possible with combining. But 9, how?

For Windows computers they have run 9gb in triple channel mode (3x3gb). It was legendary stuff in the early i7-920 cpu days. How it would be implemented in a phone I don't know but clearly they have a way. Either 3x3gb or 6x1.5gb maybe, or a 9gb single chip.

 

[kmbum]

Let’s wait to hear from Gurman.

 

[kotaKat]

Kuo's back with another pack of guesses too? Holy hell, the Garbage Gang's back!

 

[smorrissey]

Apple will add more RAM to the ‌iPhone 18‌ models to make sure the devices work well with AI workloads and are able to support all of the Apple Intelligence features coming in iOS 27.

My 2 cents.

Last year bought an iphone 17 and this one a 17e and they are not capable for all their "Apple Intelligence" owed 3 years ago? Well my next phone is gonna be an Android. Hope you like that Tim Apple.

 

[JPack]

The RAM is likely dependent upon the SoC used. If the MacBook Neo gets A19 Pro, then it's likely 12 GB RAM. However, if the Neo does get A19 Pro with 12 GB RAM, I wouldn't be shocked if they raise the price yet again.

Apple can easily reconfigure the package with more or less RAM. This no different than the A12Z DTK getting 16GB RAM when the iPad Pro had only 6GB. Why is there this assumption RAM amount is locked to the SoC?

Same with the SoC. Apple needed A18 Pro because of 10 Gb/s USB. If A20 has that feature, no need to use a Pro chip for Neo 2.

If you look at Mac mini, Apple brought back 16/256 because entry price matters. I really don't think Apple will go to $799 for MacBook Neo.

 

[Black_Mage]

9gb and 18gb (and even 36gb) are a real thing both in the Mac and Windows world.

My Studio has 36. I think it’s a weird amount of RAM. It works. 🤷‍♂️

 

[JPack]

18 and 36 I get. It is possible with combining. But 9, how?

Because memory dice are stacked internally to make a single DRAM chip. You're only thinking externally by looking at the physical chips.

 

[Icelus]

18 and 36 I get. It is possible with combining. But 9, how?

Probably 6+3 or 3x3.

 

[ort888]

The new Budget iPhone 18e, starting at just $1,199

Apple can go to hell, I'm not buying anything at these prices. If all prices go up industry wide, I won't buy anything from anyone. I'll go live a van, I doin;t care anymore. People can';t afford to live anymore and I'm just ****ING OVER IT.

THE WHOLE WORLD SUCKS AND IS ONLY GOING TO KEEP GETTING WORSE. **** APPLE AND **** EVERYTHING

 

[EugW]

Apple can easily reconfigure the package with more or less RAM. This no different than the A12Z DTK getting 16GB RAM when the iPad Pro had only 6GB. Why is there this assumption RAM amount is locked to the SoC?

Same with the SoC. Apple needed A18 Pro because of 10 Gb/s USB. If A20 has that feature, no need to use a Pro chip for Neo 2.

They can change it, but the A12Z DTK is a terrible example to justify that argument, as it was not a real consumer product. It was a very, very low volume DTK of course, and developers weren't even allowed to keep it.

 

[HouseLannister]

Well 9 is... also a number.

If done, this won't be a marketed feature. It must just be cheaper to do 9GB than to keep doing 8 GB with the current RAM they have available (1.5GB dies instead of 2GB). Also still a question of it is DDR5 or if they go back to DDR4 and where else they make cuts to save money. There were already rumors of a more budget display on the base 18.

 

[JPack]

They can change it, but the A12Z DTK is a terrible example to justify that argument, as it was not a real consumer product. It was a very, very low volume DTK of course, and developers weren't even allowed to keep it.

Meaning what? Did the DTK crash because of memory errors? Were the DRAM chips hand carved in the depths of a Samsung chaebol family room just for the DTK? No, they were all commodity parts, meaning Apple can ramp it.

 

[k1121j]

NO ONE IS GONNA BUY A PHONE if they keep raising prices. APPLE IS A JOKE. IVE BEEN SAYING FOR 2 YRS APPLE WILL BE OUTTA BUSINESS BY 2032 if they keep this up. Looks like im gonna be right

some will when they get an iOS update that makes there phone buggy and slow

 

[robvalentine]

You mean 8GB right?

Computers store and process data in binary, where everything is based on powers of 2:

• 2^0 = 1
• 2^1 = 2
• 2^2 = 4
• 2^3 = 8
• 2^4 = 16
• 2^5 = 32
• 2^6 = 64

RAM chips themselves are designed with capacities that are powers of two because it makes the memory addressing hardware simple and efficient. For example, a chip might contain:

• 512 MB
• 1 GB
• 2 GB
• 4 GB
• 8 GB
• 16 GB

Manufacturers then combine these chips into RAM modules. That’s why you commonly see modules like 4 GB, 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB, and so on.

9 GB?

It’s technically possible, but it would require combining chips in unusual ways, which:

• Costs more to manufacture.
• Complicates design and testing.
• Doesn’t provide much market benefit.

My Samsung has 12gb ram, and iPhones have had 6gb recently. Agree it's normally in powers of 2

 

[gummybear2026]

Apple just cannibalized their best selling base model iPhone 18. 1 extra GB of ram does nothing at all.

 

[Nyx1]

Still confuse why people trust Kuo leaks

 

[EugW]

Meaning what? Did the DTK crash because of memory errors? Were the DRAM chips hand carved in the depths of a Samsung chaebol family room just for the DTK? No, they were all commodity parts, meaning Apple can ramp it.

Your statement makes little sense. What does this have to do with crashing? I'm saying it was not a volume product. It was essentially a prototype machine at higher volume than usual prototypes but not at mainstream release volumes.

 

[JPack]

Still confuse why people trust Kuo leaks

Probably because he's accurate most of the time.

People called BS when he claimed A18 Pro chip for low-cost MacBook. Those same people later ate crow.

 

[JPack]

Your statement makes little sense. What does this have to do with crashing? I'm saying it was not a volume product. It was essentially a prototype machine at higher volume than usual prototypes but not at mainstream release volumes.

The existence of that DTK proves just how easy it is to adjust the memory configuration. If Apple is willing to do it for a low-volume DTK they don't even sell, why on earth wouldn't they do it for the MacBook Neo 2?

Are you seriously suggesting Apple would just be too lazy, or lack the engineering resources, to optimize for a high-volume product? There are hundreds of millions of dollars at stake here.

 

[Veoronox]

9GB? That is an odd choice? Normally you would do 8GB 10GB or 12GB. I have never seen 9GB before.

 

[Minato1990]

Man I don’t even want to see the price of the 18Pro Max.
Good thing I traded in my 16PM for a 17PM today.

 

[EugW]

The existence of that DTK proves just how easy it is to adjust the memory configuration. If Apple is willing to do it for a low-volume DTK they don't even sell, why on earth wouldn't they do it for the MacBook Neo 2?

Are you seriously suggesting Apple would just be too lazy, or lack the engineering resources, to optimize for a high-volume product? There are hundreds of millions of dollars at stake here.

The Neo 2 at 8 GB is not in Apple's best interests IMO, even despite the cost of memory these days. 12 GB from a software and OS point of view makes the most sense. They've already deemed an iPhone needs 12 GB RAM, and macOS generally is more RAM hungry than iPhones. And in fact, the Neo 1 already lags. 12 GB is the sweet spot, and they already have the 12 GB A19 Pro SoC in production so there's a strong chance they'll continue to use it. Cost is indeed an issue, but like I said before, I wouldn't be surprised if they raised the price again to accommodate it. However, I also said they can change the memory. So I wouldn't completely dismiss your prediction of a 9 GB MacBook Neo, but I certainly wouldn't count on it.

BTW, Apple says the latest AI features need 12 GB in an Apple Silicon Mac, but no such Mac even exists.

Probably because he's accurate most of the time.

People called BS when he claimed A18 Pro chip for low-cost MacBook. Those same people later ate crow.

Heh. Back in the day, way back in 2020, I had predicted a possible A14 MacBook. I was of course dead wrong, and it took 6 years for Apple to release something similar.

 

[Nyx1]

Probably because he's accurate most of the time.

People called BS when he claimed A18 Pro chip for low-cost MacBook. Those same people later ate crow.

Wait is not gurman say that not kuo