Update: The Elec has since retracted the post. The original reporting follows…
It’s no secret that Samsung is a key Apple partner, supplying components for the production of iPhones. A new report suggests that Apple is knocking on Samsung’s door once again, seeking help to enhance AI capabilities in upcoming iPhones with revamped DRAM.
Apple taps Samsung to revamp iPhone DRAM for AI boost
As The Elec reports, Apple has long used a Package-on-Package (PoP) design, where the iPhone’s DRAM memory is stacked directly on top of the system-on-chip (SoC). While this compact, space-saving design has worked well for phones, it has now become a bottleneck for the high-bandwidth demands of AI-driven tasks.
With generative AI now a core feature in smartphones, including iPhones, Apple has realized that a more advanced memory system is essential. That’s why it’s asking Samsung to develop a new memory packaging. In response, Samsung is working on discrete memory packaging, which places DRAM independently next to the SoC. This design increases the number of I/O pins, boosting memory and data transfer speeds, and enabling native AI processing.
There are some challenges, however
What’s a success story without challenges? Here are a few to consider. While discrete memory increases bandwidth, it could introduce communication delays due to the increased distance between the memory and SoC. That’s why Apple is also considering combining Samsung’s discrete memory tech with LPDDR6 processor-in-memory (PIM).
It’s being said that LPDDR6 could offer up to three times the speed and bandwidth of current memory standards. This will help reduce both latency and power consumption. Combine all these perks, and you get a solid boost in AI performance.
This could be just what Apple needs, especially with its planned lineup for next year, which includes the rumored iPhone 17 Slim, Air. Or whatever it ends up being called. While Apple has entered the AI race, it’s still trailing behind Samsung, Google, and others.
