Apple’s base iPhone 18 could receive 12GB of RAM and a redesigned, smaller Dynamic Island when it arrives in early 2027, according to analyst Jeff Pu.
Key Points:
- Pu expects the base iPhone 18 to move from 8GB to 12GB of RAM and adopt the smaller Dynamic Island design first planned for Pro models.
- Ming-Chi Kuo has instead forecast 9GB for the base model.
- Apple is expected to launch the standard iPhone 18 later than its Pro models.
iPhone 18 Upgrades
A research note from Pu says the base iPhone 18 will carry 12GB of RAM, up from 8GB in the iPhone 17. The phone is not expected at Apple’s September event.
Instead, reports cited by 9to5Mac place its launch in early 2027 alongside the iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2, after the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max and foldable iPhone Ultra debut first.
Pu also expects the standard model to inherit the smaller Dynamic Island design scheduled to appear first on the iPhone 18 Pro lineup. That would narrow the timing gap between Pro-only hardware changes and the lower-priced iPhone. The smaller Dynamic Island would also be a surprise because it is expected to debut first on the Pro line before reaching the base model.
Also Read: Bitcoin Volatility Hits 2-Year Low As $144.6M ETF Outflow Raises Stakes
iPhone Analyst Split
The RAM estimate remains disputed, because Kuo has said the iPhone 18 will get 9GB rather than 12GB, creating a clear split between two supply-chain forecasts. Pu assigns 9GB to the iPhone 18e instead.
Both models are expected to use Apple’s A20 chip, so the disagreement centers on memory configuration rather than the processor family.
If Pu is correct, the base iPhone 18 would gain two features associated with the Pro line while arriving months after the premium models.
The smaller Dynamic Island may be the more notable timing change, since Apple historically waited longer before moving that design feature downmarket.
Apple introduced the original Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro while leaving the standard iPhone 14 with a notch. Apple took longer last time. The company did not bring Dynamic Island to the base model until the iPhone 15, making Pu’s forecast a faster handoff than the previous rollout.
Read Next: Data Shows 87.5% Of US Venture Dollars Went To AI In Q2 2026
