The latest reports from South Korean media indicate that the next iPhone 18 could debut 12 GB of RAM in its standard modelThe tip comes from The Bell and was picked up by MacRumors, and fits with Apple's move to beef up hardware for new AI features.
In recent generations, the base model remained at 8 GB of RAM despite doubling its storage to 256 GB. Now, with the focus on Apple Intelligence and a revamped Siri With generative capabilities, the company is reportedly preparing a memory jump that enables more processing on the device itself.
According to these leaks, Apple would have asked its partners for an increase in supply of LPDDR5X DRAM en 12 and 16 GB configurations. Samsung, one of the major suppliers, currently only makes LPDDR5X in those capacities, making it less likely that the base model will be repeated with 8GB.
In addition to capacity, we talk about Six-channel LPDDR5X to increase bandwidth and improve multitasking. In parallel, several reports place the next generation of chips at a 2nm process, a leap that would combine more power with greater energy efficiency.
This memory and bandwidth boost has a clear objective: to enable local processing and lower latency in AI functions, from content generation and editing to translations and advanced assistants. In Europe, where privacy is a key factor, running more tasks on the device could also be especially relevant.
If the base jumps to 12 GB, it seems reasonable that 16 GB for Pro variants remain a differentiating option in the high-end range. However, nothing is set in stone, and Apple could adjust its strategy based on costs, performance, and memory availability.
If confirmed, the change would allow driving larger AI models without relying so heavily on the cloud, aligning the standard model with the needs of upcoming versions of Siri and Apple Intelligence, and narrowing the performance gap with the Pro models on intensive tasks.
Planned calendar and context in Spain and Europe
Various sources point to a staggered launch Starting with the iPhone 18 family: the Pro models (and other devices) are expected to arrive in the fall, while the base model and cheaper variants could arrive months later, in the spring. This is an unofficial plan and subject to change.
For Spain and the rest of Europe, availability usually occurs in the weeks following the presentation, although at the moment there is no official price or date informationThe memory strategy could vary by market only if it affects supply logistics, something that is not currently being considered.
Those coming from a standard iPhone 17 would notice more flexibility in multitasking and, above all, greater compatibility with local AI functions. This jump should translate into AI feature lifespan and support improved, reducing the need to resort to cloud services.
In the competitive landscape, many Android rivals already offered 12 GB in high-end models, but on the iPhone, value comes when hardware and software are optimized together. Therefore, memory is not everything: Bandwidth, chip architecture, and system efficiency will all be equally decisive.
Key factors to watch in the coming months: supplier confirmation (Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron), the final design of the memory controller, and model segmentation. supply capacity and final configuration will determine the pace of production and availability in Europe.
Everything points to Apple preparing the ground for a smarter and more autonomous iPhone: if the jump to 12 GB of RAM in the base iPhone 18 materializes, the standard would be better equipped for the next wave of AI functions, more quickly, more privacy and a greater scope for evolution in the medium term.
