Is a Foldable iPad on the Horizon? Yes, but a Distant One

It’s been clear over the past several years that Apple has been exploring one or more foldable devices. However, there’s often been some disagreement from analysts and leakers as to what it’s actually working on, or at least what we’ll see first.

The reports have run the gamut from a clamshell-style “iPhone Flip” or tablet-like “iPhone Fold” (to borrow the terms coined by Samsung) to an iPad- or MacBook-style foldable. While Apple is undoubtedly working on multiple approaches, some folks initially believed that a foldable 5G iPad would beat the iPhone to the punch .

Over the past two years, it’s been clear that’s not the case. All evidence points to the foldable iPhone coming next year, and the reports have solidified from early 2024 rumors of an iPhone Flip into what will almost certainly instead be a book-style “iPhone Fold” design that follows the Galaxy Z Fold, OnePlus Open, and Pixel Fold. While the exact specs are still open to debate, the reports are remarkably consistent across all the typically reliable sources.

However, the same can’t be said for the so-called “iPad Fold.” While there’s enough information circulating to strongly suggest Apple has such a device in the works, it hasn’t reached the point where it’s gelled into anything nearly as definitive as it has for the iPhone. That’s probably because it isn’t nearly as far along in development.

Last month, we heard that Apple has slowed down on the foldable iPad, with DigiTimes reporting that Apple has paused progress on the device.

That wasn’t entirely surprising, as some folks, like Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, had already said we shouldn’t expect it before 2028. Still, others, including display industry analyst Ross Young, were pointing to a foldable tablet-like device arriving in late 2026 or 2027. Young was also one of the first to reveal that Apple was exploring 20-inch folding screen technology in 2022. Still, at the time, neither he nor anyone else was quite sure whether these were for a MacBook, an iPad, or something else entirely.

By 2024, Young and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo concurred that the screen would likely be close to 18.8 inches to reduce costs, folding down to a traditional 13- or 14-inch size. Both expected the device would launch in late 2026, but those estimates have to be balanced against Gurman’s 2028 prediction and DigiTimes’ more recent report that the entire thing is now on hold.

Most recently, Jeff Pu of GF Securities has added his voice to the chorus, and he’s seemingly concurring with the more recent predictions that it won’t come anytime soon. Pu had previously been on the “2026” bandwagon, but he now appears to be entirely unclear as to when it’s coming. “The 18.8-inch foldable device is likely to be postponed,” Pu writes in his latest research note, without providing any further context.

Notably, Pu doesn’t set a date, but merely indicates that he doesn’t believe it will be entering mass production in the next two years. Last month, DigiTimes reported that Apple was shelving the project due to additional costs and complexities combined with “a relatively modest consumer demand for larger foldable devices.” That doesn’t mean it’s dead for good, but since it won’t break new ground like the Vision Pro did, it’s understandable why Apple doesn’t want to invest in a costly product with limited market potential.

By all accounts, the “iPhone Fold” is still on track for a 2026 release, so Apple may want to wait and see how well that product is received by consumers before committing to a larger foldable.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]