The tech and AI industry is struggling with memory shortage over the past couple of months, and the demand for memory chips is an all-time high. AI firms such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Gemini are buying more and more RAM to power data centers that run AI models, and this comes at a cost. Across the industry, smartphone manufacturers are struggling to pay increased prices to buy RAM, and this is increasing smartphone prices in the process. The latest leaks from the industry suggest that US-based smartphone giant Apple may not be immune to the RAM shortage after all.
Apple has so far managed to stay relatively less impacted by the RAM crisis. The previous reports claim that the company was able to secure enough supply of RAM because of its high leverage. However, the fresh reports suggest that the memory crises have reached such a point that even Apple may be forced to take measures to save costs. And the device which is expected to impact from this crisis is the iPhone 18.
How iPhone 17 bypass the memory crisis
The iPhone 17 was introduced in September last year; the device was highly appreciated by tech experts. The company had finally given it a 120Hz refresh rate display, which was much awaited. The company made it look like it was almost unimpacted by the memory shortage. However, the price of iPhone 17 was increased by Rs 3,000 compared to its predecessor, but it also came with double the storage at 256GB which made the device effectively Rs 7,000 cheaper than the 256GB iPhone 16 model.
But now the new market leaks suggest that the company faced a dilemma with the iPhone 18. Either it could keep the development on track but increase the price, or it could cut down on some things to keep the price the same as last year.
iPhone 18 expected to face display and chipset downgrades
The iPhone 18 will reportedly come with downgrades in two parameters, the display and the chipset. According to media reports, the company is taking a step backward with the iPhone 18 display. This could result in reduced peak brightness compared to peak brightness of iPhone 17 which is 3,000 nits.
In terms of RAM and memory, the company is likely to use a four-core GPU chipset, like the A20 chipset, in the upcoming iPhone 18, despite a five-core GPU which is usually found in a vanilla iPhone. This would essentially put the iPhone 18 on par with the iPhone 18e in terms of performance, as the company has usually used four-core GPUs in its e-series of iPhones.
iPhone 18 pricing and launch
These downgrades in specification would likely help the company in cost cutting during the memory crisis. The recent media reports suggest that the memory shortage may continue at least until the end of 2027. The company is likely to introduce the iPhone 18 at the same price tag as the iPhone 17 i.e., Rs 82,900.
The company is expected to launch the iPhone 18 alongside the iPhone 18e in early 2027. The next-generation iPhone Air may also be launched at the same event. On the other hand, the traditional launch event for 2026 will likely see the launch of iPhone 18 Pro models and highly rumoured iPhone Fold.
Syed Ziyauddin is a media and international relations enthusiast with a strong academic and professional foundation. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media from Jamia Millia Islamia and a Master’s in International Relations (West Asia) from the same institution.
He has work with organizations like ANN Media, TV9 Bharatvarsh, NDTV and Centre for Discourse, Fusion, and Analysis (CDFA) his core interest includes Tech, Auto and global affairs.
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