First foldable iPad could be on the way — but you’ll have to wait a few years

Those of you eagerly awaiting a foldable iPad may have to wait another couple of years, at the very least. According to a report from The Elec, Apple could be considering a 2026-2027 launch window for the foldable tablet at the earliest. Which means it may take even longer to arrive in your local Apple Store. 

The site also suggests that the foldable iPad will unfold to reveal a 7- to 8-inch display, and could end up replacing the iPad mini one day. However it does note that an OLED iPad is in the works, and we’ve heard rumors that it could arrive sometime around 2026 as well. So if that replacement does happen, it probably won’t be soon after the foldable’s launch.

The Elec has reiterated that both Samsung Display and LG Display are companies said to be supplying Apple with foldable screens. Apparently Samsung has been more active in development, which suggests it will be the one to supply screens should Apple opt to release the foldable iPad in 2026. 

But considering the device’s specs are apparently still unconfirmed, it feels unlikely that the tablet could arrive that quickly. Especially since Apple is well known for taking its time adopting new technologies and releasing different kinds of products. The newly-released Apple Vision Pro is a perfect example of that, given the prominence of rumors years before the eventual announcement at WWDC 2023.

Of course we have to remember that 2027 will mark the 20th anniversary of the very first iPhone. Apple marked the 10th anniversary with the iPhone X, a full screen OLED device that changed the design of all future iPhones. There is a chance that the foldable could be the long-fabled iPhone Flip, rather than an iPad, which would make a 2027 launch all the more fitting.

Though this doesn’t guarantee anything. And Apple may have other plans to commemorate the iPhone’s 20th birthday.

Then there’s the 20+-inch foldable MacBook, which has also been rumored for the past couple of years. The Elec didn’t have any additional details on this device, other than the fact it’s expected to arrive sometime after the foldable iPad. But like the folding iPad, we don’t know a great deal about what this device will involve. 

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