The iPhone 18 family is scheduled to arrive in Q4 2026, but Apple is already racing to secure the components for its next flagship series, starting with the DRAM. According to the latest report, the California-based giant has requested Samsung in advance to supply a whopping 13 million 10nm LPDDR5X 1b DRAM chips for the second quarter of next year. In short, Apple aims to get a head start against the competition, and securing these components early is a key strategy to gain an edge.
The report also reveals that the entire iPhone 18 lineup will come standard with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM. As memory requirements rise due to the growing adoption of AAA games and generative AI features on smartphones, Apple is expected to gradually increase RAM capacities across its iPhone range.
This year marked a significant upgrade, with Apple introducing 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models, as well as the iPhone 17 Air. Meanwhile, the base iPhone 17 was equipped with 8GB of RAM. However, according to The Bell, the base iPhone 18 could see a notable bump to 12GB, narrowing the gap between standard and Pro models.
Additionally, a previous report stated that Apple plans to use six-channel DRAM in its iPhone 18 series, unlocking upgraded bandwidth essential for AI-related workloads. However, despite speculation, there will be no move to LPDDR6 technology, as clarified by the Korean outlet.
The report adds that Apple has also requested mobile DRAM supply from Micron and SK hynix. Yet, industry insiders believe Samsung remains the only manufacturer capable of meeting Apple’s heightened supply demands. Although Samsung’s 1b DRAM initially faced yield issues, the company has since stabilized production and achieved quality levels satisfactory to its clients.
The iPhone 18 launch in 2026 will deviate from Apple’s typical release approach seen in recent years. The lineup will reportedly include the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a foldable iPhone in late 2026, while the base iPhone 18 is expected to debut in the first half of 2027.
During this period, Samsung’s share of the DRAM market as Apple’s supplier is likely to increase, solidifying its position as a reliable partner for the trillion-dollar tech giant—much like its established role in supplying millions of OLED displays for Apple devices.
In related news, Samsung is also actively investing in equipment to become the sole supplier of Apple’s M6 MacBook Pro OLED panels, scheduled for launch in late 2026.
**Source:** The Bell
https://wccftech.com/apple-requested-13-million-10nm-lpddr5x-dram-chips-from-samsung-for-iphone-18/