Apple to Upgrade Base iPhone 18 Memory to 9GB for iOS 27 AI Features [Kuo]

Apple's lower-end iPhones planned for early 2027 are expected to receive a memory upgrade to enable tighter system-level integration with Apple Intelligence.



According to industry checks shared by TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the entry-level iPhones slated for the first half of 2027 will feature 9GB of RAM. This marks a bump from the 8GB found in Apple's current lower-end A19 models, including the recently launched iPhone 17e. Kuo says the move to a 9GB configuration using six 1.5GB memory dies is intended to keep the hardware running smoothly under the heavier Apple Intelligence workloads planned for iOS 27.


The report also aligns with earlier supply chain indications that Apple plans to move the standard iPhone 18 to a spring 2027 launch. The base model is expected to use the standard A20 chip.

Memory configurations for the premium devices arriving later this fall will remain unchanged. Kuo says the three high-end models launching in the second half of 2026 will stick with 12GB of RAM. Powered by the A20 Pro chip, this group includes the two iPhone 18 Pro models and Apple's first foldable iPhone, using the same eight 1.5GB memory dies for 12GB of RAM.

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