US based tech manufacturing giant Apple is gearing up for launch of its first foldable iPhone which is expected to launch in September along with iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, but the media reports claim that iPhone fold is not the only foldable device the company is working on; the company is also developing foldable iPad. However, recent rumours suggest that there is a serious delay in its development.
iPad Fold to share iPhone Fold Tech
According to media reports and industry experts, the upcoming foldable iPad may even utilise part of the hardware developed for the rumoured iPhone Fold or iPhone Ultra, which will likely launch this year. The foldable tablet may feature the same hinge design as the foldable smartphone, which offers a crease-free display.
That last part matters a lot. Getting rid of the visible crease in the middle of a folding screen is something even Samsung has struggled with for years. Apple is working with Samsung Display to create the 18-inch display panel, and like the iPhone Fold, the project aims to minimise the chance of creases developing in the middle of the display. So if Apple can crack it with the foldable iPhone first, there is a reasonable chance the same solution carries over to the iPad version.
A Dream Device With a Troubled Development
The company’s plan for a foldable iPad is surrounded by numerous rumours over the last few years, consisting of claims that it was the dream device of the company’s former CEO, John Ternus. As per reports, the company stopped the development of the device last summer due to some development issues.
However, some recent reports suggest that the company resumed the development of the device earlier this year. The device was initially supposed to launch in 2028 but now it may arrive in 2029.
What caused the pause? A few things, and none of them are small. The large screen has become a complex and expensive problem to solve, enough of a problem to force an extended delay in its development. Engineers are also dealing with a weight problem that is hard to ignore. Current prototypes reportedly weigh around 3.5 pounds, which is similar to a MacBook Pro. For comparison, the current iPad Pro weighs only about one pound. That is a massive difference, and it would completely change how the device feels to carry and use.
An 18-Inch Screen That Could Redefine the iPad
The device is expected to feature an 18-inch display. This could make the device either a foldable iPad or an all-display MacBook.
That ambiguity is actually part of what makes this product interesting and complicated at the same time. When closed, the iPad resembles a MacBook, with an aluminium exterior and no outer display. When opened, it unfolds to roughly the size of a 13-inch MacBook Air, but without a physical keyboard. So is it a tablet? A laptop replacement? Apple has not answered that question yet, and it is possible they are still figuring it out themselves.
The price is the other thing worth knowing upfront. The final price of the foldable iPad could approach $3,000 which is around Rs 2,90,000, or three times that of the 13-inch iPad Pro. That puts it in a category where very few people will buy it, at least at launch.
Apple has a history of walking away from projects that do not meet its standards. Whether the foldable iPad makes it to shelves in 2029 or quietly disappears is still genuinely unclear. But for now, it is alive, and Apple is still building it.
Syed Ziyauddin is a media and international relations enthusiast with a strong academic and professional foundation. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media from Jamia Millia Islamia and a Master’s in International Relations (West Asia) from the same institution.
He has work with organizations like ANN Media, TV9 Bharatvarsh, NDTV and Centre for Discourse, Fusion, and Analysis (CDFA) his core interest includes Tech, Auto and global affairs.
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