Apple Is Reportedly Working on a Massive 18.8-inch Foldable Device

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.