Apple orders 13M Samsung LPDDR5X 1b DRAM for iPhone 18, lifting base RAM to 12GB and adding six-channel memory for AI loads. Shipments in Q2, launch in Q4 2026.
© E. Vartanyan
Apple isn’t wasting time: just a month after the iPhone 17 launch, the company is already moving on the next lineup. A fresh report says it has placed an order with Samsung for 13 million LPDDR5X 1b DRAM chips produced on a 10 nm process. Shipments are slated for the second quarter of 2026, with the iPhone 18 smartphones expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Sources indicate the move is about securing an advantage over rivals. Memory footprints in new models are bound to grow as AAA games expand and generative AI enters mobile devices. For the first time, Apple fitted 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM in the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. Now the base iPhone 18 is expected to get 12 GB as well, up from eight. The trajectory feels inevitable as workloads rise.
Reports also suggest the iPhone 18 series will use a six-channel DRAM architecture, boosting bandwidth and helping the devices cope better with AI-related loads. A switch to LPDDR6 is not expected yet. Although Apple held talks with Micron and SK hynix, analysts are confident Samsung can meet the required volume.
Samsung has already overcome yield issues with its 1b DRAM, and its chips now consistently meet customer standards. In 2026, Apple will introduce three models: iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and a foldable iPhone, with the base version arriving in the first half of 2027. The order reinforces Samsung’s role as a key supplier to Apple, not only for memory but also for OLED displays. According to insiders, the South Korean company is already buying equipment to make OLED panels for the MacBook Pro M6 planned for late 2026. Taken together, the timeline points to a supply chain locking into place well ahead of launch.