Although practically every smartphone maker has entered the foldable market by now, Apple has been a no-show in this segment so far. And even if foldable iPhones have been rumoured for quite some time now, it seems that Apple might kick things off with a foldable iPad instead. Let’s find out more.
Apple Foldable iPad Rumors Round-up
Dilly-Dally
It is not the first time we heard that Apple is working on a foldable device. The launch date for a folding Apple device has been pushed so many times it’s nearing a decade mark. We started hearing about it back in 2017 and the company was apparently granted the patent for folding phones in 2019. But to no avail!
All this dilly-dally makes us wonder if folding iPhones and iPads is really happening… This time, the answer seems to be yes! The multi-trillion-dollar tech giant seems to have settled on the route they want to take with their foldables. Also, Apple likes to do things their way — slow, but meticulous. So, it doesn’t come as a surprise that they are taking their sweet time either.
The Route
So, it seems the folding iPhone will be a clamshell device like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip series. Meanwhile, the iPad will be holding the role of bookstyle foldable instead. Similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5, the Pixel Fold, the OnePlus Open, etc.
Foldable iPad Display
According to The Elec (a South Korean media), Apple is considering LG Display and Samsung Display for its folding iPad and iPhone. And it seems the company has been developing an 18.8-inch foldable OLED panel for an iPad (or it could be for a Macbook too). Apple is working with both partners to ensure that the crease also stays to a minimum.
Hinge
Similarly, reports suggest that Apple is pretty stringent about the hinge for its foldable iPad. Apple is still finalizing the hinge design, aiming for simplicity compared to most modern foldable phones. Reports suggest Apple’s latest prototype consists of 885 parts. The company is currently looking to simplify the design, reducing the number of parts in the hinge, and making the manufacturing process more cost-effective.
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Implications
The market of foldables has been pretty stagnant in recent years. Samsung is miles ahead of everyone else in terms of influence. While the rest of the companies have been pushing innovation. For instance, Honor managed to cram a 4,800 mAh battery in the Magic Flip V, which is comparable capacity to regular phones. Likewise, OnePlus created a near-crease-free display and absolutely nailed the bookstyle foldable with OnePlus Open. However, Samsung doesn’t feel nearly threatened for them to change anything. This is much more evident when you realise that they barely changed anything in the Z Fold series in the last three years.
Now one may love or hate Apple, but they are surely the heaviest hitter in the tech world. They have so much influence in the market, that even Samsung likes to emulate them. Removing of headphone jack and charger in the box, returning to a boxy design, introducing a titanium build, etc. are some examples of trends that Samsung straight-up copied from Apple. So, if the American company really enters the foldable market, it could finally get Z Fold maker’s gear churning. This at the end of the day will be good for us customers — we like good sports!
Apple Foldable iPad Expected Release Date
As per the latest report by analyst Jeff Pu, Apple’s foldable iPad/MacBook hybrid is expected to debut in the second quarter of 2026. The foldable iPhone is expected to arrive by the end of 2026. It’s plausible that it will be announced alongside the iPhone 18 series, with its market release beginning toward the end of 2026.
- Meanwhile, check our iPhone 15 review
