Apple's Foldable iPad Pro: Rumors, Release Date, Features, and More
- Apple’s rumored foldable tablet is huge—like, two iPad Pros combined.
- Imagine unlocking your iPad without seeing any sensors—will Face ID finally vanish?
- The launch isn't tomorrow, but something big is cooking for 2028, reports suggest.
Apple’s foldable ambitions have primarily centered around the anticipated iPhone Fold, but a new wave of leaks suggests the company is simultaneously developing a much larger device—an 18.8-inch foldable tablet, potentially branded as the "iPad Pro Fold."
Photo via Digital Trends // Is Apple planning a foldable iPad Pro in the near future?
In a recent post on Weibo, the prominent tech leaker Digital Chat Station revealed intriguing details about one of Apple's current prototypes: an "iPad Pro Fold" with an expansive 18.8-inch foldable display. If confirmed, this tablet would become Apple's largest mobile touchscreen device to date—essentially the equivalent of placing two iPad Pros side by side.
Although the final dimensions might shift slightly before release, the sheer scale of this device prompts an immediate question: Who exactly needs an 18.8-inch iPad?
It's easy to imagine creatives, digital artists, or professionals craving a larger canvas for multitasking, but portability would be a serious challenge here. Could this be Apple's take on the "foldable laptop-tablet" concept—a space explored previously by Lenovo with its Yoga Book 9i or Microsoft’s ill-fated Surface Neo?
Under-Screen Face ID
According to the Weibo leaker, Digital Chat Station, Apple's prototype integrates an innovative "metal superstructure lens" beneath the display. This technology reportedly combines Face ID's receiver and transmitter into a single, ultra-thin metalens.
Metalenses aren't entirely new to Apple followers. They've been rumored before, notably ahead of the iPhone 16, but haven't yet appeared in a production model. These flat lenses use microscopic etchings to control light paths—meaning Apple could potentially replace multiple Face ID components with just one thin lens, freeing up valuable internal space.
If true, this foldable could also be Apple's first product to embed Face ID directly beneath the usable display area. Previously, all Face ID sensors have resided within bezels or Apple's recognizable "notch." Under-screen Face ID has been rumored repeatedly for the iPhone for years but has yet to materialize.
The decision to implement under-screen Face ID likely stems from the goal of ultra-thin bezels, crucial in making such a large tablet practical and aesthetically pleasing.
Photo via Apple // Apple's current M4 iPad Pro.
2027 or 2028 Launch
Multiple industry analysts, including Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC), predict a launch date around 2027 or 2028 for this giant foldable tablet. DSCC previously forecasted Apple's launch of an 18.8-inch OLED foldable tablet for 2027, while Bloomberg's Mark Gurman independently pointed toward 2028, stating Apple intends the display to appear seamless, without a visible crease.
In a similar timeline, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects LG to begin producing 18.8 to 20.2-inch foldable display panels for Apple by late 2025. The Wall Street Journal has added further weight to these claims, reporting Apple is developing a large foldable device that could function "as a laptop" once unfolded.
Apple does not want the upcoming foldable device to have a crease, instead appearing as a single piece of glass.— Mark Gurman
Foldable Tablet or Laptop Hybrid?
Throughout the last several years, rumors have consistently blurred the line between Apple's foldable tablet and MacBook projects. While the company has publicly rejected the idea of merging iPad and Mac product lines, this upcoming device seems to carry characteristics from both product categories.
A patent granted to Apple illustrates a hinged OLED screen that, when folded halfway, resembles a MacBook, complete with a lower touchscreen surface capable of becoming a dynamic keyboard or a large trackpad. Such a design recalls concepts like Microsoft's canceled Courier or Lenovo’s Yoga Book series—devices seeking to merge portability and functionality in a large-screen form.
The potential for this hybrid is intriguing. Imagine a foldable tablet serving as a portable digital studio, opening up possibilities in illustration, video editing, or complex multitasking, all while remaining more portable than carrying multiple separate devices.
A New Path Forward?
Apple has long been cautious about crossing its Mac and iPad product lines. While this foldable isn't expected to run macOS directly, industry analysts speculate it might run a hybridized version of iPadOS designed specifically for this device. Such a hybrid operating system could further blur lines between traditional tablets and laptops, offering more sophisticated multitasking while preserving Apple’s simple, touch-friendly ethos.
In parallel, Apple’s smaller foldable plans remain focused on the iPhone, expected to launch in late 2026 or early 2027. Rumors suggest it would utilize Touch ID integrated into the side button, sidestepping the spatial limitations imposed by Face ID sensors.
Final Thoughts
It’s essential to emphasize that these are prototypes and rumors, making specifics uncertain until official announcements occur. Even historically reliable leakers like Digital Chat Station caution about the fluid nature of prototypes, especially for devices still several years from production.
Nevertheless, Apple's foldable ambitions have never been clearer. Whether users truly need—or even want—a nearly 19-inch foldable tablet remains debatable. But Apple’s persistence with bold experiments hints that the tech giant is confident about where portable technology is headed, betting on bigger screens, thinner devices, and entirely new forms of interaction.
Perhaps the real question is whether foldable technology can mature enough by 2028 to make such a large tablet desirable beyond niche uses. Until then, the rumored foldable iPad Pro remains an intriguing, if distant, prospect.
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