Apple Reportedly Planning Major iPhone Hardware Redesign for AI Optimization

The 2026 iPhone 18 may adopt discrete memory packaging to improve on-device AI performance, marking a significant shift in internal design.

Apple is reportedly transitioning to discrete memory packaging for the iPhone 18, moving away from the current package-on-package (PoP) setup used since the iPhone 4.
This redesign aims to enhance on-device AI capabilities by increasing memory bandwidth and data transfer speeds, addressing the growing demands of AI-heavy processing.
Separating the RAM from the system-on-chip (SoC) is expected to improve heat dissipation, a key factor for handling intensive AI calculations.
The shift may require other internal design changes, such as reducing the size of the battery or SoC, potentially impacting battery life and device layout.
Samsung is reportedly developing next-generation LPDDR6 memory for Apple, which could significantly boost performance with faster speeds and wider bandwidth.