iPhone 18e may get more RAM despite global memory shortage, details here
Apple's upcoming iPhone 18e could bring an unexpected upgrade at a time when most smartphone brands are cutting back. But there may be a catch that buyers won't like.
iPhone 18e, likely the cheapest variant of the new iPhone 18 series, is expected to see an increase in RAM storage. If the latest report turns out to be accurate, it would go against the current industry trend. You might be familiar with the ongoing global memory and components crisis, which has led smartphone makers across the industry to reduce memory storage in their devices. That also includes big names like Google. Report suggests the upcoming Pixel 11 Pro could see its RAM drop from 16GB to 12GB. But when it comes to Apple, things are apparently a little different.
According to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities, the iPhone 18e, expected to launch by March 2027, will feature 9GB of RAM, up from the iPhone 17e’s 8GB. Jeff Pu’s claim corroborates that of another analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, who earlier made a similar claim about the iPhone 18e. Notably, iPhone 18e is expected to break cover next year alongside the standard iPhone 18.
One more month left for Apple to unveil its latest flagship iPhone 18 Pro series, coming in September. But this year's launching event is expected to see some major changes. Apple is said to debut only Pro variants from the iPhone 18 lineup. Which is expected to include three variants – iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone 18 Ultra, aka iPhone 18 Fold. The iPhone Air 2 could debut next year alongside two other variants of the iPhone 18 series — iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e. In other words, Apple is likely to launch three smartphones this year and three more next year.
Apple to increase the iPhone's price
Even if Apple increases the iPhone 18e's RAM to 9GB, reports suggest the tech giant is preparing to raise the upcoming iPhone's price sharply. Some estimates point to a $250 to $300 hike, roughly Rs. 28,000, on the Pro models. This indicates that next year’s iPhone models could also see a similar price hike.
Jeff Pu and Morgan Stanley's Erik Woodring suggest that Apple is in a perfect storm of rising costs. The new A20 Pro chip, expected to be built on TSMC's pricier 2nm process, is a big factor, alongside soaring DRAM and NAND memory prices driven by AI hardware demand. Earlier reports suggested Apple might absorb these costs quietly, but Jeff Pu's latest note suggests otherwise, hinting the increase will likely be passed on to buyers instead.