New details have emerged about the hardware of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which Apple will likely unveil on September 9. The key takeaway: the smartphones will get the latest A20 Pro processor, but the RAM will remain old-generation, and the storage in the top-tier versions will be slower than in the base models. However, to prevent the downgrade from being too noticeable, Apple will redesign the memory architecture itself to ensure stable operation of AI features from iOS 27 directly on the device.
Apple will use older-generation LPDDR5X RAM in the iPhone 18 Pro
What We Know About A20 Pro Memory
According to a leak, the upcoming Apple A20 Pro processor will stick with the previous memory type — LPDDR5X — rather than transitioning to the newer LPDDR6 standard, as previously reported. Competitors on Android are already preparing such LPDDR6 memory, but Apple traditionally adopts new standards with a delay, and this time will be no different.
The source is a schematic leak from insider Reptalica, referenced by Wccftech. This is a rumor, not information confirmed by Apple, so the final specifications may differ.
This is an actual board from the iPhone 18 Pro, leaked after a hack of the Tata factory database in India
To simplify, LPDDR5X and LPDDR6 are generations of a phone’s RAM. It determines how quickly the processor receives the data it needs. A newer standard usually means more speed with less power consumption, but under conditions of total RAM shortage, Apple was unable to transition to the new standard. So the decision was made to gain speed advantages through a different approach.
Six-Channel Memory and 96-Bit Bus — What Does This Provide
Instead of transitioning to a new memory type, Apple is reportedly changing the way data is exchanged between the processor and memory. The A20 Pro will feature six-channel LPDDR5X memory with a 96-bit bus instead of the previous four-channel scheme with a 64-bit bus.
The memory bus is essentially the width of the road along which data travels from memory to the processor. The wider it is, the more data passes through at once. A wider bus increases bandwidth, meaning the processor spends less time idling while waiting for data.
A wider memory bus passes more data per cycle
This is precisely what’s critical for AI features. Artificial intelligence models that run directly on the phone are bottlenecked not so much by processing power as by memory speed. A narrow bus would become a bottleneck, and the widened one eliminates this problem. However, storage speed cannot be improved as easily. According to rumors, Apple will use QLC standard storage in the 1TB and 2TB iPhone 18 Pro models, which is slower and less durable.
How Apple Will Boost the iPhone 18 Pro’s Speed
To accommodate the wider six-channel memory, more physical space was needed. For this reason, Apple is reportedly transitioning to a new chip assembly type called WMCM — a method where components are packed more densely and handle large volumes of data more effectively.
This has a pleasant side effect. The memory is separated from the processor die, which improves heat dissipation. In practice, less overheating usually means more stable performance under load — the phone maintains high speeds longer rather than throttling due to heat.
The new WMCM packaging separates memory and processor, improving cooling
Along with this, the leak also mentions an enlarged block for AI tasks (Neural Engine — the part of the chip responsible for neural networks). But this is also unverified data for now.
How AI Will Work on the iPhone 18 Pro
The purpose of all these changes is singular: to prepare the phone for heavier AI features that Apple is promoting in recent system versions. For those who value such capabilities — smart assistants, text and image processing directly on the device — these improvements are potentially beneficial. Everyone else can calmly wait for the official presentation.
The bottom line: this is an early leak about the chip for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro. There’s no need to rush to conclusions, and certainly no reason to change your current phone because of it. If you’re planning to upgrade with this generation and AI features matter to you, it’s worth following the topic until the official announcement — that’s when real numbers and prices will appear. Everyone else can skip this and return to the conversation when the devices are actually revealed.
