Huawei and Xiaomi Plan Custom DRAM Tech to Boost On-Device AI in Smartphones

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Chinese smartphone brands Huawei and Xiaomi are reportedly planning to introduce custom Low Latency Wide DRAM (LLW) in the second half of 2027 to improve on-device AI performance in their smartphones.

The proposed LLW technology is inspired by HBM architecture and aims to address the performance bottlenecks of LPDDR memory. According to reports, LLW offers 1.5 times higher performance and 50% lower power consumption compared to LPDDR5X.

The push for higher memory bandwidth in mobile AI workloads has led to the exploration of mobile HBM technologies. Huawei has been at the forefront of on-device AI efforts, and foldable devices with larger internal space are better suited for testing technologies like HBM.

Sources suggest that Huawei may be the first smartphone vendor to commercialize mobile HBM in a foldable smartphone, while Apple is expected to adopt mobile HBM around 2027, coinciding with the iPhone's 20th anniversary.

Samsung Electronics is also reportedly developing next-generation HBM packaging technology for on-device AI, combining ultra-high-aspect-ratio copper pillars with FOWLP and advancing its VCS technology to enable high-capacity, high-bandwidth HBM in smartphones and tablets.