Apple seems to be experimenting not only with cameras and processors, but also with internal storage. According to the latest leaked news, the 1TB version of iPhone 18 Pro uses QLC NAND memory instead of the usual TLC. At the same time, the 256 and 512GB versions will still be equipped with TLC chips.
What’s the difference? QLC is a cheaper and slightly faster memory chip (same capacity, of course), but it also has a shorter lifespan and less speed stability during long read/write operations. That said, technically speaking, these wafers are not always faster than smaller TLCs.
However, it needs to be clarified that this information has not yet been confirmed by official or new smartphone teardowns, so it should be taken with a grain of salt. If the rumors are confirmed, it will be a rather controversial decision – buyers will pay a fortune for the iPhone 18 Pro with more memory, but flash memory is cheaper and may not be as durable.