Reports say that Apple wants to manufacture an ultra-thin iPhone next year and include it in the iPhone 17 series, replacing the Plus version. Dubbed the iPhone 17 Slim, Ultra, or Air, the device is reportedly part of Apple’s plan to create thinner devices that are in line with the M4 iPad Pro.
I’ve already explained that Apple might need a few key components to make an iPhone 17 Slim happen. One is a slim, high-density battery that can offer battery life comparable to a thicker model. Devices like the M4 iPad Pro and the ultra-thin Honor foldable phones prove that’s possible. Apple also needs a next-gen chip that’s faster and more efficient than the current processors.
But other components might also need some extra shrinking to make it into thinner smartphones like the rumored iPhone 17 Slim, like Samsung’s new RAM chip, which is as thin as a fingernail.
Samsung on Tuesday unveiled the “industry’s thinnest” LPDDR5X RAM packages for “on-device AI.” Samsung had to name-check artificial intelligence, considering the continued hype around AI.
Obviously, the iPhone 17 Slim would be an AI device that processes a lot of data on-device. We also know from Apple that computers capable of Apple Intelligence need at least 8GB of RAM to get the job done. I’m including the iPhone and iPad in the list of compatible computers, of course.
That’s not to say that Samsung’s new RAM module has been crafted for ultra-slim iPhones. Remember that Samsung has been falling behind Chinese rivals when it comes to creating ultra-thin foldables. That’s one place where this ultra-thin RAM chip might be used. It might happen as soon as this year when a slimmer version of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 might launch.
But Samsung’s achievement is impressive and warrants attention. It’s likely that other RAM chip makers will follow suit and launch similar alternatives. Whatever type of RAM Apple chooses for the iPhone 17 Slim, it will consider the chip’s thickness.
Samsung’s new RAM chip measures just 0.65mm. It features four layers of 12nm-class DRAM die and comes in 12GB and 16GB capacities. In addition to the AI-ready performance, the new RAM chip should improve thermal control by facilitating airflow inside the phone. That’s another key aspect to consider. We won’t want our AI phones to overheat. I’d stick with a thicker device if that would improve cooling.
The image above below how the new Samsung RAM chip would sit inside a smartphone. It’s placed on top of the processor and the mainboard. Compared to the previous generation chip, Samsung was able to reduce the thickness by about 9% and improve heat resistance by about 21.2%.
Samsung says it achieved this milestone by “optimizing printed circuit board (PCB) and epoxy molding compound (EMC) techniques.” Samsung also reduced the height of the package.
Time will tell which smartphones will use Samsung’s new RAM package. As for the iPhone 17 Slim, we’ll need to wait for a teardown to see what components Apple used and how it stacked them. That’s assuming we’re getting an iPhone 17 Slim next year.
Samsung, meanwhile, will develop the thinnest possible 6-layer 24GB and 8-layer 32GB modules for future devices.
