Apple may give the iPhone 18e one extra gigabyte and call it an AI upgrade
A second analyst says Apple’s iPhone 18e will jump from 8GB to an unusual 9GB of RAM, giving on-device Apple Intelligence some additional breathing room.
Apple is rumored to be preparing a unique specification upgrade for its cheapest upcoming iPhone, the iPhone 18e, which could receive an extra gigabyte of RAM, bringing the total to 9GB. This unusual memory configuration is expected to be confirmed in reports from GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu and TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, lending credibility to the claim.
The iPhone 18e, set to be released alongside the standard iPhone 18 in March 2027, will join Apple's existing lineup of lower-end models that feature 8GB of RAM. This 9GB of memory is said to provide more space for multitasking and the execution of Apple Intelligence features locally on the device.
However, the increase in RAM comes at a challenging time due to tightened memory supplies in AI data centers, which has led to manufacturers shifting towards more profitable high-bandwidth memory production. Consequently, the iPhone 18e might see a price hike compared to its predecessor. Moreover, this upgrade could also result in a noticeable gap between the iPhone 18e and Apple's premium models, as the latter is rumored to incorporate a more advanced on-device AI model that requires 12GB of RAM.
This would enable advanced features like improved dictation previews and more expressive Siri voices in iOS 27, which the iPhone 18e and standard iPhone 18 may not be able to offer.
Despite these potential drawbacks, the iPhone 18e is expected to be slightly better equipped for Apple's growing AI workload. Nevertheless, it remains uncertain whether the additional gigabyte of RAM will be sufficient for the phone's long-term utility. Samsung's Galaxy S27 Pro may also face a slight reduction in camera capabilities, with its telephoto camera rumored to have a 12MP sensor and 3x optical zoom, as opposed to previous reports suggesting a 50MP 3.5x zoom sensor.
The company's wider foldable, the Fold 8 Ultra, is expected to feature a sharper display and a more powerful chipset. Meanwhile, Samsung's standard foldable, the Fold 8, will debut with a new chip, and the Flip 8 will mark the introduction of a new chip for the Flip series, setting itself apart from the previous Flip 7 model.
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