Apple is reportedly planning to equip the iPhone 18e with 9GB of RAM, offering smoother Apple Intelligence performance despite rising DRAM costs.
Apple is reportedly preparing a notable hardware upgrade for its next affordable smartphone, with the iPhone 18e expected to launch in March 2027 featuring 9GB of RAM despite an ongoing global memory shortage.
According to renowned analysts Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities and Jeff Pu of GF Securities, Apple plans to increase the memory capacity of the iPhone 18e from 8GB to 9GB, marking an unusual upgrade for the company’s lower-priced “iPhone e” lineup.
iPhone 18e RAM upgrade for Apple Intelligence
The reported RAM increase is expected to improve the on-device performance of Apple Intelligence, Apple’s suite of artificial intelligence features.
Apple currently requires at least 8GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, while more advanced AI capabilities, including enhanced voice dictation and Expressive Siri voices, require 12GB of memory.
Although the jump from 8GB to 9GB may appear modest, the additional memory is expected to help the iPhone 18e process AI tasks more efficiently on the device, reducing reliance on cloud-based processing.
Global DRAM shortage impacts smartphone industry
The memory upgrade is particularly noteworthy because the smartphone industry continues to face rising DRAM prices due to increasing demand from AI data centres.
The world’s three largest memory manufacturers—Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix—have shifted much of their production capacity toward High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) chips instead of conventional DRAM.
Unlike traditional DRAM modules that sit beside a processor, HBM stacks memory chips vertically, delivering significantly higher bandwidth while consuming less power.
The latest HBM4 generation reportedly offers more than 2–3TB per second of data transfer bandwidth, making it essential for training advanced artificial intelligence models.
Expected iPhone 18e specifications
Besides the RAM upgrade, the iPhone 18e is expected to feature:
6.1-inch OLED display
1170 x 2532 resolution
60Hz refresh rate
Apple A20 processor built on a 2nm process
48MP rear camera
24MP front-facing camera
256GB and 512GB storage options
The device is expected to retain a single rear camera, continuing Apple’s strategy for its budget-friendly iPhone lineup.
Standard iPhone 18 may also receive more memory
The report also claims that the standard iPhone 18, expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18e in March 2027, will also feature 9GB of RAM, up from the 8GB found in previous base models.
While Apple has not officially confirmed the specifications, the reported memory upgrades suggest the company is prioritising improved AI performance across more affordable iPhone models.