- The first foldable device from Apple will reportedly be an iPad.
- The small-scale production of foldable iPad units could begin by the end of 2024.
- The folding Apple tablet could launch by late 2024 or early 2025.
The foldable segment is gradually seeing interest among regular smartphone buyers. Brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo and now OnePlus are expanding their efforts to lure users towards the new form factor. It looks like Apple will be joining the bandwagon soon but the device will not be an iPhone. The first foldable from the Cupertino giant could be an iPad.
Foldable Apple iPad could launch by late 2024
- The first foldable from Apple could be an iPad and not an iPhone, according to a DigiTimes report.
- The report, citing supply chain sources, claims that small-scale production of foldable iPad units could begin by the end of 2024. However, the design hasn’t been finalised yet.
- The folding Apple tablet could launch as early as late 2024 or early 2025.
- Apple appears to be experimenting with its folding technology with the new iPad before it moves to iPhones.
- The latest report is in line with a note from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo on X, who said that the folding iPad might debut in 2024.
- The analyst added that China-based polishing and fitting supplier Anjie Technology could be the beneficiary of the foldable iPad.
- Not much else is known about the first foldable from Apple but one thing that is certain from the report and a post from an analyst is that the first Apple foldable will be an iPad.
Ming-Chi Kuo notes that the foldable iPad will have a carbon fibre frame, which will make it lighter and more durable. We need to wait and see whether Apple would go with a single large folding display with a crease or go with two separate displays. There are reports from South Korean media claiming that Apple is in talks with Samsung Display and LG Display for panel supply for the foldable products.
The current largest display on an iPad is a 12.9-inch iPad Pro model and is priced at Rs 112,900 in the country. The cheapest iPad is the 9th-generation iPad which is priced at Rs 32,900.00. It needs to be seen in which price segment the new foldable iPad will be placed in.
Are New iPad models incoming?
There are rumours that Apple will be launching a new base model iPad, iPad Air, and iPad Mini soon. The new models are expected to come with an upgraded processor. The current-gen iPad Air is powered by the M1 and the successor might come with an M2 processor. The new iPad Mini and base iPad models could arrive with A16 Bionic SoC.
