Apple was allegedly going to launch a huge 18-inch folding iPad at some point in 2026, but according to a new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, that may no longer be true. We may have to wait until 2029 for that foldable to make its debut.
The delay supposedly stems from engineering issues related to weight, display technology and features for the tablet, Gurman reports. On the screen front, Apple is working with Samsung Display, according to Gurman, to develop the 18-inch display with work being done to minimize the crease seen in most foldable panels.
What's causing problems?
Gurman claims that the 18-inch display has proven hard to design and very complex. Apple reportedly wants to use an OLED panel, but the complexities have pushed prices to "roughly triple" that of the recently launched 13-inch iPad Pro M5, according to the Bloomberg report. The iPad Pro model starts at $1,299 for the 256GB version, potentially pushing a foldable iPad closer to $3,000.
Additionally, weight has been a problem, with current iPads ranging between 1 and 1.3 pounds. Apple's prototype model allegedly weighs 3.5 pounds, heavier than some laptops.
Apple's device is supposedly close in design to the Huawei MateBook Fold that also unfolds to a 13-inch screen in laptop mode. That folding device costs about $3,330 for the base model, which features 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. However, it has yet to be sold outside of China.
Allegedly, there are even some internal doubts that the foldable iPad will ever launch.
How we got here
In the last couple of years rumors about the giant foldable iPad has oscillated between being Apple's first foldable device or launching in combination with the iPhone Fold. And this isn't the first time we've heard that the tablet launch could be delayed into 2029.
In August, analyst Jeff Pu reported that "the 18.8-inch foldable device is likely to be postponed." A leaked 5-year road map has long had the iPad launching in 2028. Gurman himself has previously said we wouldn't see the foldable iPad until 2028.
In the meantime, we expect the iPhone Fold to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models next fall. Rumors have said Apple may split the iPhone 18 launch with the standard model debuting in the spring of 2026 with the iPhone 18e.
However, last week, a report from Mizhuo Securities claimed the iPhone Fold wouldn't arrive until 2027 due to an inability to make enough displays.
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