Apple may be setting a strange new RAM trend Android phones could follow

WWDC 2026’s Apple Intelligence upgrades may be behind us, but the iPhone 18 rumor mill is already running at full speed. And the latest leak suggests Apple could make an unusual hardware change next year.

According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo’s X post, Apple’s upcoming lower-end iPhones are expected to ship with 9GB of RAM instead of the 8GB found in their predecessors. If the information proves accurate, it would mark the first time Apple has used such an unconventional RAM capacity in an iPhone.

At first glance, that extra gigabyte might not sound particularly exciting. However, the benefit is expected to show up when Apple’s AI features become more deeply woven into iOS 27. More RAM gives the system extra breathing room, helping tasks stay responsive instead of slowing your phone down.

Kuo says Apple plans to achieve the jump to 9GB using six 1.5GB memory dies, rather than the four 2GB dies used in the current generation. Although Kuo doesn’t mention specific model names, his reference to Apple’s “lower-end iPhones” strongly suggests the standard iPhone 18 and the rumored iPhone 18e, which are expected to launch in the first half of 2027.

The higher-end iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and Fold Ultra reportedly won’t receive a memory upgrade, remaining at 12GB of RAM. That’s likely because they already have enough headroom for Apple’s current and upcoming AI features, making an increase less necessary.

One interesting question is why Apple would settle on 9GB RAM instead of jumping straight to 12GB across the lineup. Kuo doesn’t offer an explanation, but industry-wide constraints on memory supply could be one reason. Apple has already adjusted pricing across parts of its Mac and iPad lineup in response to changing RAM costs, so it’s possible the company is trying to balance improving AI performance with keeping hardware costs under control.

If this rumor pans out, it highlights how Apple’s AI ambitions are starting to influence hardware decisions just as much as software features. It could even set a precedent that Android brands follow, largely because Apple is doing it, with manufacturers potentially experimenting with similar non-standard RAM configurations to better balance AI workloads and cost efficiency in future flagship and mid-range phones.