Hartley Charlton
Update 6:44 PM: Samsung has told MacRumors that The Elec’s original report is “completely incorrect” and that the “data is false.” While The Elec has retracted its report in full, we’re leaving our original article intact below for reference to provide clarity on the situation.
Apple is reportedly planning a significant change to the iPhone hardware design, moving to discrete memory packaging to improve on-device AI performance.
According to a new report from Korea’s The Elec, Samsung, a key supplier of Apple’s memory components, has begun research to accommodate the change at Apple’s request. This shift will mark a departure from the current package-on-package (PoP) method, where low-power, high-speed data rate (LPDDR) DRAM is packaged directly onto the system-on-chip (SoC). Starting in 2026, DRAM will be packaged separately from the SoC, which should significantly improve memory bandwidth and enhance the iPhone's AI capabilities.
The current PoP configuration was first introduced in the iPhone 4 in 2010 and has since been popular for its compact design. Placing memory directly on top of the SoC minimizes the physical size, which is especially important for mobile devices where space is at a premium. However, PoP packaging imposes limitations that limit its suitability for AI applications that require higher data rates and greater memory bandwidth.
In PoP, the memory package size is limited by the size of the SoC, which limits the number of I/O pins and therefore limits performance. Moving to discrete packaging would physically separate the memory from the SoC, allowing more I/O pins to be added. This design change should increase data rates and the number of parallel data channels. Separating the memory and SoC also provides better heat dissipation.
Apple previously used discrete memory packaging in its Mac and iPad product lines, but later switched to memory-on-package (MOP) with the release of the M1 chip. MOP shortens the distance between the memory and the SoC, reducing latency and improving power efficiency. For the iPhone, adopting discrete packaging may require other design changes, such as shrinking the SoC or battery to create more space for the memory component. It may also consume more power and increase latency.
In addition, Samsung is reportedly working on its next-generation LPDDR6 memory technology for Apple, which is expected to deliver two to three times the data rate and bandwidth of the current LPDDR5X. One variant in development, LPDDR6-PIM (Processor-in-Memory), integrates processing capabilities directly into the memory. Samsung is said to be working with SK Hynix to standardize the technology.
The changes could come starting with the 2026 iPhone 18 devices, provided Apple can overcome the engineering challenges of SoC miniaturization and internal packaging optimization.
Tags: Samsung, The Elec[ 84 comments ]
