- Apple’s secret foldable iPad won’t hit the market until 2028, a report claims
- The company wants to eliminate the crease in the foldable display
- Apple could also develop a foldable iPhone for a 2026 release
The Apple Vision Pro headset only launched a year and a half ago, but Apple is already looking for its next big thing. And according to a new report, it could come in the form of a giant foldable device the size of two iPad Pros sitting side by side.
That’s the latest rumor from Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman Power On Newsletterand it sheds light on Apple’s potential plans to enter the foldable market in the coming years – and, the company hopes, dominate it.
According to Gurman, Apple is working to ensure that the foldable iPad doesn’t have the center crease that plagues other foldable devices. Apple’s covert efforts have resulted in a device that exhibits a “nearly invisible crease” when opened, Gurman says, although it’s “too early to tell if Apple can get rid of it completely.”
Gurman believes this device will launch “around 2028,” which is later than the 2026 date predicted by analyst Jeff Pu. When unfolded, it could have a screen size of about 18 to 20 inches, Gurman says, but it’s expected to be small enough to fit in a backpack when not in use.
And it’s not the only foldable iPhone Apple has in store; the company is also working on a foldable iPhone. But before you get too excited, this isn’t expected to launch until 2026 at the earliest.
An iPad-Mac hybrid?
In recent years, Samsung, OnePlus and Google have released their own foldable devices with varying degrees of success. But the majority of the best foldable phones either have two separate screens with a large hinge in the middle, or have a single screen with a deep seam in the middle.
Apple apparently wants to avoid both scenarios and instead launch a foldable product that consists of a single screen with no visible hinges or seams. And given the corporate culture of trying to be the best rather than first, Apple is clearly happy to take its time perfecting its product rather than rushing to market with something sub-par. However, it also means that you will have to wait a long time if you want to get your hands on Apple’s first foldable iPad.
Interestingly, Gurman states that the foldable iPad will combine elements of iPadOS and macOS, although it won’t be a “true iPad-Mac hybrid.” This is because iPadOS will likely be “advanced enough to run macOS apps” by the time the foldable tablet launches, Gurman says, but will also support traditional iPad accessories like the Apple Pencil.
While this device may be the closest Apple has ever come to merging the Mac and the iPad, in a way it shows why Apple never took this step.
A combination product like this will be an incredibly niche product and most people probably won’t need any device that combines elements of the two systems. Ultimately, Apple wants you to buy both an iPad and a Mac, rather than losing one sale in the form of a dual-purpose device.
But iPad-Mac hybrid or not, it’s clear that this foldable tablet has the potential to be a memorable “one more thing” moment for Apple. Now the company just has to hope that it becomes more popular than the Vision Pro.