Apple has been working on its foldable devices for a while, as rumors suggest. While the foldable iPhone is looking to be the first to arrive over the next few years, a 19-inch foldable MacBook is said to also be in the works — along with an 18.8-inch foldable iPad.
As Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests in the Power On newsletter, a folding iPad with an 18.8-inch display and a "nearly invisible crease" is looking to arrive in 2028. However, we're also hearing that a foldable MacBook with a 19-inch display will make its debut after the foldable iPhone's expected release by 2026 or 2027, thanks to The Wall Street Journal (via MacRumors).
Coincidence? Quite possibly. Originally, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo gave word of a 20-inch foldable MacBook, but recent rumors from display expert Ross Young state that it's now looking to come with an 18.76-inch display. Then, an Apple roadmap leak pointed to a giant 18.8-inch foldable iPad, specifically a "Tablet/Note PC/Monitor."
This lines up with Gurman's thoughts on the foldable iPad, which is said to look like "two iPad Pros side-by-side." If the WSJ report's suggestion of a foldable MacBook is rounding up to state a 19-inch display size, there's reason to believe Apple is planning to introduce a foldable iPad/MacBook hybrid.
The expected release dates line up, too. As per the reports, the hybrid foldable model is looking to be released sometime in 2028, so we're still a good few years away from Apple's venture into a foldable tablet and/or laptop.
This isn't the first we've heard of Apple's foldable device, as there have been whispers of the Cupertino tech giant exploring a foldable MacBook for years. This could mean Apple has been reworking its plans, and it's now looking to be a hybrid device.
As Apple has yet to officially reveal this foldable iPad/MacBook hybrid (hardly surprising), there are no concrete prices or release dates — or if it will arrive at all. If it does, though, I'll be way more excited to see a hybrid over a way-too-big foldable MacBook.
A foldable iPad/MacBook hybrid is the smarter choice
Foldable laptops aren't anything new, with interesting (but pricey) laptops like the HP Spectre Fold and Asus Zenbook 17 OLED showcasing how it could work. Being able to transform a 12-inch notebook display into a sizeable 17-inch screen on the fly is a welcome perk, and having the ability to use it as a tablet is handy.
However, all of this falls apart if the operating system, design and peripherals don't work together seamlessly. There's a reason there aren't many all-screen foldable laptops to choose from, as they can be awkward as tablets, come with keyboards that are a tad too cramped and don't quite yet have a touchscreen-supported OS that's as good as, say, iPadOS. Oh, and it will be nice to see an affordable price.
Seeing a massive 19-inch foldable MacBook (size pending) go down this route wouldn't be ideal, as we haven't even seen macOS with a touchscreen interface. MacBooks are fantastic just the way they are at the moment, as the MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Pro M4 prove this.
But here's the thing: Apple has done a phenomenal job with its iPad and iPadOS over the years, and to see this meld with the capabilities of a MacBook and macOS would be a recipe for brilliance.
It's not like we haven't seen Macs run iPhone and iPad apps before, so seeing an iPad-type device run Mac apps wouldn't be completely bonkers. In fact, Gurman even states the device will use "elements of both" iPads and Macs.
We've seen iPads come with the latest in Apple silicon to great effect, with the iPad Pro M4 knocking it out of the park in terms of design and performance. Yes, it's limited in its apps compared to MacBooks, but this iPad/MacBook hybrid would fix this.
Innovation is key to building new devices that see wide-scale use in our everyday lives, but the foundation needs to be there. Fortunately for Apple, the groundwork for a foldable laptop/tablet hybrid has already been made, and all it needs to do is blend the best traits of its MacBook and iPads — instead of just an oversized foldable MacBook with a touchscreen.
We're still a while away from Apple's rumored foldable iPad and MacBook hybrid, but it's already looking to be quite the device. As for other foldables Apple may be cooking up, check out the latest on the iPhone Flip.
More from Tom's Guide
