The arrival of the standard iPhone 18 in 2026 is likely to include Apple increasing the RAM for the base model to better support AI features such as Apple Intelligence.
Dan Nystedt, an analyst with insider supply chain connections, revealed that the iPhone 18 will launch with the A20 chipset and an increased RAM of 12GB. This represents an upgrade from last year's iPhone 17, which had only 8GB of RAM, bringing the base model's specs closer to those of the iPhone 17 Pro.
The decision to boost RAM in the standard iPhone 18 stems from Apple's desire to expand access to the Apple Intelligence feature among a wider user base, as future AI processing will become more complex and require greater resources.
Looking back, Apple increased RAM from 8GB in the iPhone 16 Pro to 12GB in the iPhone 17 Pro last year. Therefore, upgrading the standard model this year to Pro-tier specifications signals that Apple is setting a new standard for AI-era smartphones, where RAM capacity is as critical as the CPU.
However, to keep the iPhone 18 affordable like last year's iPhone 17, Apple may need to reduce some production costs to balance the increased RAM without raising the retail price significantly.
Currently, the global surge in memory component prices has put Apple under scrutiny regarding how it will balance device specifications and cost management for the upcoming iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e models launching early next year.