Apple is reportedly developing its largest iPad yet – an 18.8-inch foldable device targeted for release around 2028. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, this isn’t just another tablet; it’s a potential glimpse into the future of hybrid computing devices.
Apple’s industrial design team has allegedly created prototypes with an almost invisible crease, addressing one of the most persistent complaints about current foldable devices. For context, while Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series has made significant strides in minimising the crease, it remains a visible and tactile reminder of the device’s folding mechanism. Apple’s approach could finally solve this longstanding challenge.
To understand the scale of this device, imagine placing two current iPad Pros side by side – that’s the approximate canvas users would have to work with when fully unfolded. This massive display would dwarf Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5, which offers a 7.6-inch screen when opened, and even surpass the innovative ASUS Zenbook Fold series with their 17.3-inch foldable displays.
Perhaps most intriguingly, this device could blur the lines between iPadOS and macOS. Gurman suggests that by 2028, iPadOS will have evolved to run macOS applications, potentially offering the versatility of a MacBook with the touch-first interface of an iPad. This convergence makes sense when you consider that current Macs can already run iPhone and iPad apps – it’s a natural evolution of Apple’s ecosystem integration.
The pricing implications are significant. With the current 13-inch iPad Pro starting at $1,299, this larger, more versatile device would likely come with a premium price point – at least the $3,500 Vision Pro is a pointer to what Apple is capable of doing. However, the ability to run macOS apps could help justify the potential investment on your part, positioning it as a true laptop replacement rather than just a larger tablet.
Apple’s foldable ambitions don’t stop at tablets. The company is also working on a foldable iPhone, though that device isn’t expected before 2026. This timeline aligns with Apple’s broader display technology roadmap, which reportedly includes OLED MacBook Pros in 2026 and MacBook Air OLED updates in 2027.
This measured approach to foldable technology stands in stark contrast to competitors like Samsung, who have already gone through multiple generations of foldable smartphones and tablets. While Samsung has been pioneering the space and working out the kinks in real-time, Apple appears to be taking its characteristic approach of waiting until the technology meets its exacting standards before entering the market.
For consumers and tech enthusiasts, this news suggests that the foldable device category is far from reaching its final form. With Apple’s potential entry into the space with such an ambitious device, we might be witnessing the early stages of a new computing paradigm where the lines between tablets, laptops, and desktop computers become increasingly blurred.
One just wonders why Apple is not just developing a foldable phone like its counterparts rather than a complex iPad-like device.
Paul Balo is the founder of TechBooky and a highly skilled wireless communications professional with a strong background in cloud computing, offering extensive experience in designing, implementing, and managing wireless communication systems.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
