Apple spent years developing this ambitious product, and now it may never be released ‣ Diverse Daily

There are several products Apple has long been rumored to be working on. There’s the first foldable iPhone, which could finally launch later this year, along with a new smart home display and a redesigned OLED MacBook Pro. But one of Apple’s most intriguing rumored projects, at least conceptually, is a foldable iPad.

We’ve seen foldable phones before, so when Apple’s foldable iPhone eventually arrives, it won’t exactly be breaking new ground. But on the tablet side, that’s a very different story. The idea of a foldable tablet remains largely unexplored, so if Apple releases a foldable iPad, it would actually be breaking new ground, at least in the US.

Sure, there’s Huawei’s MateBook Fold, but it isn’t available in the US, and the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold 16 didn’t exactly go anywhere. While Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold pushes boundaries, it’s still ultimately a phone. That leaves plenty of room for a foldable iPad to become a true breakout product, much like the original iPhone was when Steve Jobs first introduced it in 2007.

However, while Apple has long been rumored to be working on a foldable iPad to debut in the next few years, the company may be reconsidering this pursuit.

The foldable iPad may never ‘see the light of day’

Apple could take a wait-and-see approach

The foldable iPad Apple has been working on is rumored to have a 20-inch display, though its launch date was still far off, reportedly 2029 or later. But according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the foldable iPad may unfortunately be shelved for the time being.

According to multiple sources Gurman has spoken to, Apple’s foldable iPad may never “see the light of day,” and the idea, which Apple’s incoming CEO, John Ternus, has prioritized and helped develop, “may end up being a whacky experiment.”

Credible rumors have indicated that the foldable iPad would have a crease-free 20-inch display, with Gurman reporting in 2024 that it would be a “single, uninterrupted piece of glass” and would look similar to a MacBook when opened.

This all sounds really cool to me, and as someone who uses an iPad Air every day, I could definitely see the value in a foldable iPad that is still lightweight and portable, but that unfolds into a much larger display for productivity work, streaming, photo and video editing, and playing games, similar to what you’d use the larger inner display on a foldable phone for.

…until Apple finally ships the foldable iPhone, and it actually sees success, I’m not surprised the foldable iPad may be on the back burner for now…

Though I can understand why Apple may be prioritizing other products right now, especially as John Ternus takes the helm as CEO on September 1, with big shoes to fill and lots of products to launch. Gurman also recently reported on Apple’s upcoming product pipeline, including a new smart home hub, smart glasses, AI AirPods, and even a new Pendant with a “computer-vision camera system” that works with the iPhone’s on-device AI and the new Siri. So, in terms of other brewing ideas at Apple, there certainly isn’t a shortage of them.

What I think this all really boils down to is caution. The foldable iPhone will be a big leap forward for Apple, and if the reception is positive, and it sells well, it could very well open the door for the foldable iPad to be put back on the table. But until Apple finally ships the foldable iPhone, and it actually sees success, I’m not surprised the foldable iPad may be on the back burner for now. Though I hope it will see the light of day at some point, especially if Apple has already spent millions of dollars conceptualizing and developing the idea.