Apple may give the iPhone 18e one extra gigabyte and call it an AI upgrade

Apple's cheapest iPhone is getting a RAM upgrade.... in this economy.

By Vikhyaat Vivek Published August 3, 2026 2:47 AM

Apple iPhone 17e on gradient background — Apple

Apple’s cheapest new iPhone could receive one of the strangest specification upgrades in the company’s recent history. But rather than going from 8GB to a more typical 12GB of RAM, the iPhone 18e is reportedly landing with an odd 9GB of memory.

GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu expects the iPhone 18e to include 9GB of RAM, according to MacRumors. His prediction backs up an earlier report from TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, giving the unusual memory configuration considerably more credibility. Apple is expected to release the phone around March 2027 alongside the standard iPhone 18. The current iPhone 17e has 8GB of RAM, which is also the minimum required to run Apple Intelligence.

Apple is apparently building RAM in six pieces

Apple’s A20 package is rumored to use six 1.5GB memory dies, producing the odd 9GB total. Current lower-end iPhone 17 models reportedly use four 2GB dies for a total of 8GB. So the extra gigabyte should give iOS more room for multitasking and running Apple Intelligence features locally.

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But this comes at a rough time because demand from AI data centers has tightened memory supplies and pushed manufacturers toward more profitable high-bandwidth memory production. Meaning, Apple’s most affordable next-gen iPhone might see a notable price hike over its predecessor. Meanwhile, the upgrade could also leave a conspicuous gap between the iPhone 18e and Apple’s premium models.

One extra gigabyte may not unlock Apple’s best AI

Apple’s more advanced on-device AI model reportedly requires 12GB of RAM. It powers features such as enhanced dictation previews and more expressive Siri voices in iOS 27, meaning the 9GB iPhone 18e and standard iPhone 18 may miss out on both.

Separate rumors point toward an A20 processor, a 6.1-inch OLED screen that remains stuck at 60Hz, 256GB and 512GB storage options, and another single 48MP rear camera. None of those details has been confirmed by Apple. The iPhone 18e looks set to become slightly better equipped for Apple’s growing AI workload. Whether one additional gigabyte provides enough longevity for a phone expected to remain useful for several years remains to be seen.

Vikhyaat Vivek is a tech journalist and reviewer with seven years of experience covering consumer hardware, with a focus on…

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