Apple is bringing real change to the iPad line, with the first folding model reportedly on the drawing board. An analyst with generally reliable sources in Apple’s component supply chain predicts the company’s first foldable tablet will launch in 2028.
The new report contradicts an earlier one that said Apple put the cutting-edge device on hold.
New era for iPad? Folding model expected in 2028.
As brilliant as the iPad line is, it’s in a bit of a rut. Each successive model is faster than its predecessor, and Apple added a gorgeous OLED display to the M4 iPad Pro, but it’s been a long time since the tablets got a real shakeup. But that shakeup is coming.
To understand the advantage of what’s ahead, consider that a tablet as portable as the current iPad mini when folded down could open to reveal a 13-inch screen — as big as the largest iPad Pro. And that display would be protected inside a clamshell when carried around.
It’s not that far away, relatively speaking. Ming-Chi Kuo predicted “a foldable iPad in 2028” in a note to investors published Tuesday. The TF International Securities analyst has a long history of leaking upcoming Apple products.
He reports that, “General Interface Solution (GIS) has secured an exclusive role in the backend processing for the Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) used in Apple’s foldable iPhone and iPad.” Someone inside GIS surely leaked the deal to Kuo — word of such a high-profile arrangement with Apple should boost the GIS share price.
As for timing the launch, Kuo says shipments of GIS screen component are expected to start “between late 2027 and early 2028.” The actual folding iPad should then reach customers later in 2028.
Those interested in the device should be pleased by this latest leak, as a report from July indicated that Apple had paused development on a foldable tablet. That came from Digitimes, a somewhat shaky source, while Kuo built a better record for accuracy.
Moving toward production
The analyst’s report indicates that Apple has moved past exploring the possibility of a folding iPad and into preparing to produce one.
That said, a folding iPhone is expected first — in 2026. Apple is reportedly getting ready to make millions of these that’ll be part of the iPhone 18 series next September. The experience Apple gains from manufacturing its foldable phone should improve the folding iPad.
Folding iPad known unknowns
At this point, many details about the folding iPad remain unknown. Most notably, the exact screen size. It’s possible this is the computer with an 18-inch to 20-inch folding screen that‘s been the subject of previous rumors. That’s more often been called a MacBook in rumors, though.
Whatever the screen size, it’s certain the display will not have the visible crease that plagued so many early foldables. The same goes for the folding iPhone.
Price is another question, and a critical one at that. Foldable screens and related components add considerably to costs — they’re why the Samsung Z Fold 7 costs about $2,000. The folding iPad could come in even higher, which is why Kuo predicted, “The foldable iPad is estimated to ship 0.5–1 million units in 2028.”
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh Classic II (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer. He’s written for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview, and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
