Apple working on foldable MacBook that can double down as iPad: Report

According to analyst Ming chi Kuo, Apple's only foldable device with a proper development plan is its foldable MacBook, which is expected to enter mass production by 2027

Apple is reportedly working on a foldable MacBook. According to analyst Ming Chi Kuo, the American technology giant has a “clear development schedule” for a 20.3-inch foldable MacBook, which he expects to enter mass production by 2027. Responding to recent media reports on Apple testing foldable iPhone, Kuo said, Apple’s only foldable product with a proper development plan is its foldable MacBook with a bigger screen.

最近我多次被詢問蘋果是否計劃在 2025 年或 2026 年量產可折疊 iPhone 或 iPad。我的最新調查顯示，蘋果目前唯一有明確開發時程的可折疊產品，只有配備約20.3"顯示器、並預計在2027年量產的MacBook。

--
Recently, I've received many inquiries about whether Apple plans to mass-produce the…

— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) March 7, 2024

Another technology insider, Revegnus, posted on X that the upcoming foldable product by Apple will combine the MacBook form factor with the functionality of an iPad. He said that the device would function like a MacBook and can be used as an alternative to the iPad when folded. According to Revegnus, Apple’s primary objective with a foldable device is to reduce the visibility of the crease to be ahead of the competition.

 

This product is quite intriguing.

It combines the MacBook form factor with a touchscreen display and can be folded. When folded, it can be used as an alternative to the iPad, and when unfolded, it functions as a MacBook, making it an ideal product. https://t.co/rTock2Nn0z

— Revegnus (@Tech_Reve) March 7, 2024

Earlier, it was reported that Apple is developing multiple prototypes for a foldable iPhone. According to media reports, Apple has developed at least two prototypes of an iPhone with clamshell design that folds horizontally. According to a report by The Information, Apple reached out to at least one supplier in Asia to develop components for the two foldables that are of different sizes. However, Apple is unlikely to place the product in the company's mass production plans until 2025 as the devices are still in their early developmental stage.

Apple reportedly plans to place displays outside of the smartphone and does not want its foldable phone to surpass its current iPhone models in terms of thickness. This, reportedly, has hindered the development process due to the complexity of accommodating battery and display components while not compromising on durability. It is also possible that the company would completely discard the project if the output does not meet Apple's quality standards.