- Apple's secret foldable iPad won't launch until 2028, report says
- The company wants to eliminate wrinkles on the screen of its folding devices
- Apple could also be developing a foldable iPhone for release in 2026
The Apple Vision Pro headphones were launched just a year and a half ago, but Apple is already looking for its next big thing. And according to a new report, you might have found it in the form of a giant foldable device the size of two iPad Pros sitting side by side.
That's the latest rumor from Agency reporter Mark Gurman's Power On newsletter, and it sheds light on Apple's potential plans to enter (and, it hopes, dominate) the foldable market in the coming years.
According to Gurman, Apple is working to ensure that the foldable iPad does not have the crease in the center that has plagued other foldable devices. Apple's secret efforts have resulted in a device that has a “nearly invisible crease” when opened, Gurman says, although it's “too early to tell if Apple will be able to 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. It could have a screen size of around 18 to 20 inches when unfolded, 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 phone that Apple has up its sleeve, as the company is also working on a foldable iPhone. But before you get too excited, it's not expected to launch before 2026 at the earliest.
An iPad-Mac hybrid?
In recent years, Samsung, OnePlus and Google have launched their own foldable devices with varying degrees of success. But most of the best foldable phones consist of two separate screens with a large hinge in the middle or have a single screen that shows a deep seam in the center.
Apple apparently wants to avoid both scenarios and instead launches a foldable device that is made up of a single screen with no hinges or apparent seams. And, given the company's culture of trying to be the best rather than the first, Apple is clearly happy to take its time and perfect its product rather than rush to market something of inferior quality. However, it also means you have a long wait ahead if you want to get your hands on Apple's first foldable iPad.
Interestingly, Gurman claims that the foldable iPad will combine elements of iPadOS and macOS, although it won't be a “true iPad-Mac hybrid.” That's because iPadOS will likely be “advanced enough to run macOS apps” when the foldable device launches, Gurman says, but it will also support traditional iPad accessories like the Apple Pencil.
While this device might be the closest Apple has ever come to merging the Mac and iPad, it goes some way to demonstrating why Apple has never made this move.
A combo product like this will be incredibly specific and most people probably won't need a single device that combines elements of the two systems. Ultimately, Apple wants you to buy both an iPad and a Mac, rather than losing a sale in the form of a dual-purpose device.
Still, 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 it proves more popular than the Vision Pro.