A leaker known as “Instant Digital” said Apple initially planned to equip the iPhone 18 Pro lineup and the iPhone Duo with 16GB of RAM, according to a brief Weibo post that did not specify when the company considered that capacity.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max ship with 12GB of RAM, a figure confirmed via Xcode 27 and matching the iPhone 17 Pro models. The iPhone Duo is also expected to have 12GB, but the Xcode data used to verify the Pro models did not yet include the foldable.
Rumors before launch had repeatedly pointed to 12GB. In April 2025 analyst Ming‑Chi Kuo predicted 12GB for the iPhone 18 lineup, and analyst Jeff Pu projected the same capacity for the Pro models and Apple’s first foldable in January. A March report said Samsung would supply 12GB memory modules for the iPhone Duo.
iPhone 18 Pro: why Apple reportedly shifted from 16GB
A global memory shortage is the likely explanation for the apparent change. The March report described sharply rising prices for the 12GB modules, and reporter Mark Gurman wrote that memory costs led Apple to discuss a higher starting price for the foldable. Kuo also said DRAM shortages were forcing Apple to scale back its 2026 hardware shipment plans.
Pre-orders for the iPhone Duo begin October 16, ahead of availability on October 23.
