Apple said to be planning 'foldable iPad' with 5G next year

AppleInsider · July 5, 2019 1:47PM

An unlikely report claiming to be from the supply chain, says that Apple is currently working on an iPad for 2020 that will feature both 5G cellular plus a foldable screen.

A mockup of a foldable iPad that's as good as any other

Reportedly, Apple is planning to introduce a foldable iPad in 2020, which will also feature 5G connectivity, and have a screen approximately the same size as a MacBook.

According to China's Economic Daily News, Jeff Lin, a researcher from IHS Markit, believes that the foldable iPad is being made to compete with the dual-screen Surface that Microsoft is expected to release.

The report is focused on the impact this product could have on the supply chain, and concludes that it would mean an increased demand for components.

Lin offers no details of his source, nor anything substantive about the device. Besides that it will be foldable and feature 5G, he says only that it will feature one of Apple's A-series processors, and the screen will be a similar size to the MacBook range.

He doesn't say which MacBook, nor does he say whether this screen size refers to when the foldable iPad is opened or closed.

The current iPad Pro lineup includes models with a 12.9-inch screen, where a MacBook's display is 12 inches, and a MacBook Air's is 13.3-inches. The MacBook Pro is available with either a 13.3-inch screen or a 15.4-inch one.

Economic Daily News does quote unnamed sources in the supply chain, but all they add is to list which Chinese companies currently contribute to the iPad range.

Apple is expected to introduce 5G models of the iPhone in 2020, however, so it's at least possible that there will be an iPad with the same feature.

No other sources have claimed Apple will make a foldable iPad, but it has filed patents to do with such an iPhone.

wonkothesane · July 5, 2019 1:56PM

Sure. And the G5 unicorn, also foldable.

SpamSandwich · July 5, 2019 2:04PM

Sounds like disinformation.

normang · July 5, 2019 2:05PM

I hope Apple never makes any device "foldable" ever.... Unless it's a case with a cover.

MisterKit · July 5, 2019 2:32PM

I would have to see it to believe it.

seanismorris · July 5, 2019 2:41PM

Somehow I don’t think his name is “Jeff”...

Sorry Jeff, your credibility took a hit with this one.

OutdoorAppDeveloper · July 5, 2019 3:04PM

Ugh! No! Bring out the AR headset. Being able to see virtual screens at any size and manipulate them with your hands makes way more sense than a foldable iPad.

swiftrun · July 5, 2019 3:08PM

This would great 👍🏼
I hope I can make calls from it!😉🤣🤣

Dave Cummings · July 5, 2019 3:12PM

Even though all the companies seem to want to jump onto this, seeing the problems Samsung had with theirs, I'm pretty sure it would be quite some time before Apple would have one, if ever. Minor issues aside, Apple doesn't want to release products with severe design flaws. Yeah, they have a patent out there, Part of me feels like they did it, not because they were really going to make it, but to have it just in case, and to see if the competition would try to jump on it and release a flawed product, in an effort to be first

EsquireCats · July 5, 2019 3:14PM

the samsung screen has a crease and it doesn’t even close properly, i doubt apple will release a screen which messes with artists ability to draw on the screen.

Japhey · July 5, 2019 3:17PM

Nope.

An iPad mini Pro may have been believable, but this is just clickbait. I’ve never heard even one person say “You know, I really wish my iPad could fold in half”.

techno · July 5, 2019 3:19PM

Why does it seem like Apple is like a dog chasing it's own tail? They are now copying the company (Samsung) that has traditionally copied Apple.

lkrupp · July 5, 2019 3:19PM

AppleInsider said:

An unlikely report claiming to be from the supply chain..

Nuff said.

mazda 3s · July 5, 2019 3:49PM

techno said:

Why does it seem like Apple is like a dog chasing it's own tail? They are now copying the company (Samsung) that has traditionally copied Apple.

What are you talking about? This a highly unlikely RUMOR. In other words, FAKE NEWS (to quote our bumbling President)

mjtomlin · July 5, 2019 4:10PM

Looks like Samsung's marketing department is spinning... start some rumors about how Apple is working on a foldable device to ensure credibility in that market segment for when their device "finally" hits later this summer.

DAalseth · July 5, 2019 4:39PM

EsquireCats said:

the samsung screen has a crease and it doesn’t even close properly, i doubt apple will release a screen which messes with artists ability to draw on the screen.

That is exactly the reason I would not want anything like this. I do draw and paint on my iPad. The last thing I want is a ripple, a crease, even a seam in the middle. No I want a hard flat palette to draw on. Good grief, I thought I had left middle creases behind back when I was in school and a drawing would migrate over the middle of my sketchbook.

macplusplus · July 5, 2019 4:45PM

If a display is folded people will want to fold it in several angles, not only in 0/180 degree. You can “fold” a laptop display in several angles, a 0/180 folding thing cannot compete with a laptop.

MindRight · July 5, 2019 5:12PM

If this is true I can definitely understand why Johnny Ive is leaving the company. They are now industry followers who have run out of innovative ideas. It seems the iPad will be the next continually regurgitated cash cow until Apple can find something new to copy. Foldable screens are not going to be the trend; period. There is no competitive advantage to these ridiculous things and the cost to purchase as well as repair these things will be astronomical. Apple needs to get a CEO with a vision or they are going to wind up financially, down the road, where they were in the 90's

mac_128 · July 5, 2019 5:18PM

normang said:

I hope Apple never makes any device "foldable" ever.... Unless it's a case with a cover.

Because?

EsquireCats said:

the samsung screen has a crease and it doesn’t even close properly, i doubt apple will release a screen which messes with artists ability to draw on the screen.

I doubt Apple would come up with such an inelegant solution either, but artists are hardly the only people using an iPad. I would imagine this would not replace all iPads, and artists would simply buy the standard non-foldable model, while a business person might buy a foldable model to replace their iPad mini.

Japhey said:

Nope.
An iPad mini Pro may have been believable, but this is just clickbait. I’ve never heard even one person say “You know, I really wish my iPad could fold in half”.

So your anecdotal experiences are all that matter? Go read the iPad mini thread comments — a big one was the ability to pocket the device, which can’t be done with a standard iPad (another way of saying “I wish my iPad could fold in half”). Being able to fold a larger screened iPad would solve that issue for most and replace that category, while making the larger iPads more convenient for many.

if you’d said this is clickbait because it would cut into Apple’s case sales — I’d say you had a point. ;-)

gilly33 · July 5, 2019 5:42PM

Yeah right. Hope that day never comes for iPad.

AppleExposed · July 5, 2019 5:56PM

techno said:

Why does it seem like Apple is like a dog chasing it's own tail? They are now copying the company (Samsung) that has traditionally copied Apple.

Ha! I called it yesterday that uneducated people would say this.

Samsung has a way of fooling people into thinking they invented something first. This is why they release half-assed products first so people can say "wow they're so innovative".

Sorry bud, like history shows, Sammy is copying an Apple patent and doing it wrong as always.

Apple said to be planning 'foldable iPad' with 5G next year

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