If you’ve been holding out for a foldable iPad, you may have to wait until 2026 before it's available to buy.
According to an investor note by Jeff Pu (via MacRumors), Apple’s rumored iPad Fold is reportedly set to arrive in 2026, a year later than what was previously expected. Pu cited ‘display durability issues’ as part of a ‘pushout’ factor in this delay. This could indicate challenges in manufacturing the product at scale, as well as solving issues that may be taking longer than Apple expected to fix, which could relate to the display.
A big part of a foldable device, such as Samsung’s Galaxy Fold Z 6, is the hinge mechanism that allows the device to open out (to a vibrant 7.6-inch display in the case of the Fold Z 6). However, even when the device is being used in this tablet mode, a crease in the middle of the screen is still noticeable. Apple is likely focused on eliminating this crease for its iPad Fold, which could explain these reported ‘pushout’ issues.
Despite these challenges, expect to see Apple’s first foray into the foldable space within the next couple of years, possibly alongside an iPhone Flip.
How could an iPad Fold benefit?
A big, beautiful foldable iPad sounds very appealing. Imagine being able to fold up Apple’s tablet to easily fit into a bag to save space, or to use one half of its display as a virtual keyboard and the other half to show a productivity app like Ulysses or Final Cut Pro.
Rumors haven’t been clear on what screen size this iPad Fold may feature. However, one that’s the size of an iPad mini at 8.3 inches, which could fold out into a 14-inch model, almost akin to an M4 iPad Pro, could be a perfect form factor for many. One example use case could be using the ‘mini’ size to read a comic, and then unfolding the tablet to attach a Magic Keyboard in order to use a couple of productivity apps in Stage Manager.
Indeed, a news report from February alluded to the iPad mini being replaced by an iPad Fold, so we may be onto something here. Regardless, an iPad Fold is an interesting concept, and we’re intrigued to see what Apple does with this form factor.
