With foldables gaining in popularity, Apple is said to be working on a MacBook with a 20″ folding screen. However, it may not launch any time soon.
Apple is reportedly working on a MacBook with a 20-inch foldable screen, but it could still be years away from launch. Folding smartphones have become increasingly popular over the past few years, with a slew of Android vendors like Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and Motorola offering at least one foldable in their portfolio. However, the most notable folding smartphones come from Samsung, which currently offers the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4 as its two flagship foldables.
Rumors about Apple working on folding smartphones have also been doing the rounds for years, but the company has played its cards close to its chest until now. Earlier rumors suggested Apple could launch a folding smartphone as early as 2024, but more recent reports suggest that it is unlikely to happen. As for Apple working on a MacBook Pro with a folding display, the move was first suggested earlier this year by Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) analyst Ross Young. According to Young, the device could serve as a notebook with a full-size keyboard when folded and unfurl into a massive 20-inch display for use as a monitor with an external keyboard.
According to the South Korean tech blog TheElec, Apple could be working on a MacBook with a folding display that will be 20.25 inches when unfolded and 15.3 inches when folded. That checks out with Young’s earlier report. The device, however, may not be available for purchase any time soon, with the report claiming that its launch timeframe has been pushed back from 2026 to 2027.
A MacBook With A Folding Display
The report further claims that Apple is also working on a folding tablet with a 10-inch screen to replace the 8.3-inch iPad Mini. There are, however, no further details on that device. As for the folding iPhone, the report claims that such a device is ‘unlikely’ because Apple cannot find a plausible use case for it. This is despite persistent rumors that Apple is working on a folding smartphone that could be launched in the coming years. However, if the report is anything to go by, Apple could release a MacBook with a folding display before launching a folding iPhone.
The report also suggests that Apple would want to move to OLED panels for all its devices before launching the folding MacBook. As part of that plan, the company is reportedly looking to launch 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad models with OLED displays by 2024. Apple currently uses LCD or miniLED screens in its iPads, Macs, and the iPhone SE 3, while the mainstream iPhones and Apple Watches all come with OLED screens. All things considered, a MacBook with a folding display will be wild, and one that could usher in a whole new category of gadgets the same way the original iPhone kick-started the smartphone revolution in 2007.
Source: TheElec
