iPhone 18 to be upgraded? Leaks say standard model can get 12GB RAM and 2nm chip

Apple is reportedly preparing a major specification boost for its next iPhone line. The latest leak says the standard iPhone 18 model will be equipped with 12GB of RAM - a figure previously only available for the Pro variant.

If true, this will be the first time that the basic iPhone model comes with such a large memory capacity. The information was revealed by technology analyst Dan Nystedt through a post on the X platform.

He said the regular iPhone 18 will match the memory configuration used by Apple on last year's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. This news immediately sparked speculation that Apple is preparing a device that is much more ready to face the era of artificial intelligence.

Because, the increase in RAM to 12GB is believed to be not just about multitasking performance, but technical requirements for running new generation AI features.

Apple is expected to expand Apple Intelligence capabilities through iOS 27, which is scheduled to be introduced at the WWDC 2026 event on June 8. The workload of AI running directly on the device is known to be very intensive on memory usage.

In order for the standard model to still be able to run Apple Intelligence fully, Apple is said to need to increase RAM to a level that was previously only available on premium devices. In short, the more intelligent the AI, the more memory it needs to go up a class.

Not only RAM, the iPhone 18 is also said to bring a major leap in the chipset sector. Previous reports said Apple had secured the initial production of TSMC's 2nm chips for the A20 processor that will be the brain of the iPhone 18.

This 2nm technology is claimed to be able to deliver a 15 percent increase in computing performance compared to the 3nm generation, without sacrificing power efficiency. For comparison, the current iPhone 17 series still uses the N3P 3nm node from TSMC.

This means that the iPhone 18 has the potential to be one of the first smartphones to carry a 2nm chip in mass production. However, there is an equally interesting change in the launch strategy.

Unlike Apple's annual pattern, the standard version of the iPhone 18 is not expected to be released at the same time as the Pro model this fall. Apple is said to be delaying the launch of the regular model until early 2027.

The device is reportedly coming with the iPhone 18e and the second generation of the iPhone Air. Meanwhile, the long-awaited Pro model and folding iPhone will still launch according to the regular schedule in the fall. If this scenario is true, then Apple is reorganizing the rhythm of its product launch significantly.

This strategy could be a way to keep the market spotlight throughout the year while separating the premium and mainstream segments more firmly. What is clear, the iPhone 18 leak shows one thing: Apple is no longer just selling smartphones, but is building the foundation for personal AI devices.

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