[DigitalToday intern reporter Kyung-min Hong (홍경민)] Apple is expected to install 12GB of RAM across its next-generation iPhone 18 lineup, likely enabling full support for on-device Siri AI features even on the base model.

NineToFiveMac reported on Monday that the upcoming iPhone 18 series is said to be designed to accommodate high-performance AI features based on Apple Intelligence across virtually all models by raising memory capacity overall. This is seen as a shift in on-device AI features, which had previously been limited mainly to some higher-priced models, through changes at the hardware level.

Apple's on-device Siri AI features are currently offered only on some top-end models. The iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone Air are included, but the base iPhone 17 is excluded due to hardware performance constraints. As a result, access to AI features differs even within the same generation, and debate has continued over so-called product tiering.

Some analysis says technical conditions also play a role behind this structure. Apple has said at least 12GB of memory is needed to run advanced on-device AI features reliably, and models that do not meet that threshold are excluded from feature support. That suggests the current product split is the result of a combination of performance differences and technical requirements.

This has left base-model users unable to fully experience the latest AI features, and limitations in the scope of features even under the same operating system have been cited as a drawback for user experience.

That structure could change significantly in the next-generation iPhone 18 series. A recent KB Securities investment analysis report said Apple is known to plan to include 12GB of memory as standard across the entire iPhone 18 lineup. The change is seen not as a simple specification upgrade but as a structural shift to expand on-device AI feature availability to all generations.

With virtually the entire lineup set to share the same memory specification, except for some lower-priced models such as the iPhone 18e, on-device Siri AI features that were previously limited to higher-end models are expected to expand to the base model. As a result, the gap in access to features is expected to narrow significantly.

The change is drawing attention not because of the expansion of AI features itself but because of the resulting shift in market structure. Some analysis says that as AI features previously experienced mainly on high-priced models expand to the base model, the user base will broaden sharply and the pace of AI services becoming mainstream could accelerate.

Pricing is expected to follow a similar trend to the past. As the next base model is said to be likely to remain around $799, or about 1.2 million won, the same level as its predecessor, consumers are expected to be able to use the latest Siri AI features without additional cost.

Standardising hardware specifications is also significant for Apple's ecosystem strategy. A uniform memory environment makes it easier to develop AI features and optimise services, and it can also strengthen the effect of data accumulation as the user base expands. The industry sees the change as a foundation that will raise the completeness of Apple's AI ecosystem while strengthening its competitive edge in the premium smartphone market.

As a result, the iPhone 18 series' broad memory upgrade is expected to be more than a simple performance improvement. It is seen as a turning point that will reshape the AI feature gap that had been divided by hardware standards. It is also expected to expand the use of premium AI features from a specific group of users to all users, and to take AI competition in the smartphone market up another level.