Apple fans have been clamoring for a folding iPhone for years, but it looks like there’s only one foldable device in the company’s development schedule at the moment — a 20-inch MacBook.
According to top insider Ming-Chi-Kuo, “currently, Apple's only foldable product with a clear development schedule is the 20.3-inch MacBook, expected to enter mass production in 2027.”
The foldable MacBook has been a long-standing rumor, with previous reports claiming that the 20.3-inch foldable displays would be sourced from Samsung and LG. The timeline was based on a 2025 or 2026 release, but it sounds like the folding concept won’t join the ranks of the best Macs for quite a while longer.
For years, we’ve hoped for a folding iPhone like Samsung’s Galaxy Fold or Flip series of smartphones, but according to Kuo, there’s no clear development plan. That means if you’re hoping for Apple’s attempt at a foldable smartphone, you’re probably going to have to wait quite a while. That said, the company will use the first foldable product release to learn and adapt to a smaller size.
最近我多次被詢問蘋果是否計劃在 2025 年或 2026 年量產可折疊 iPhone 或 iPad。我的最新調查顯示，蘋果目前唯一有明確開發時程的可折疊產品，只有配備約20.3"顯示器、並預計在2027年量產的MacBook。--Recently, I've received many inquiries about whether Apple plans to mass-produce the…March 7, 2024
A foldable MacBook
Considering we don’t expect to see this foldable Mac release for at least another three years, information on what to expect from the iMac-sized display is very limited.
The idea of a 20-inch foldable display makes me think of a hybrid Mac/iPad concept that essentially brings the iPad's multitouch capabilities into the world of macOS. What Apple envisages as a folding device is anyone’s best guess, but a folding touchscreen display gives users flexibility in a way we’ve never seen before on an Apple product.
With a few years until we’re likely even to see prototypes of this foldable MacBook, the product could be so far from the idea we have in our heads when thinking of a folding-display laptop. At the moment, products like the Asus Zenbook Fold give users the ability to quickly switch between multiple forms, whether that’s using a touchscreen keyboard or folding into a small form factor to throw into your bag. Whether Apple has plans to continue that trend or create something entirely different, only time will tell.
