Apple continues development of foldable iPad, potential release in 2029

Apple is reportedly continuing efforts to develop a foldable iPad as part of its product line, despite facing persistent developmental obstacles.

According to Macrumors reporting on Monday, citing information from Mark Gurman’s Bloomberg newsletter, the large foldable iPad would challenge Apple’s longstanding tradition of maintaining clear boundaries between Mac and iPad as separate device categories. Some refer to it as a foldable iPad, whilst others describe it as a full-screen MacBook.

Based on this new information, the rumour circulating in July 2025 that Apple had decided to temporarily halt work on the foldable iPad due to persistent development setbacks appears to be overblown. The device is believed to feature an 18-inch display manufactured by Samsung, with Apple focusing on minimising the visibility of the fold line.

Tim Cook’s company appears to have already developed expertise in this area, having instructed suppliers to begin production of its foldable iPhone, set for launch later this year. However, a large foldable OLED display for such an iPad would be considerably more expensive. The foldable device could cost three times more than the 13-inch iPad Pro.

Apple currently sells the 13-inch iPad Pro for USD 1,299 (approximately IDR 21.9 million). If component prices do not decrease over the coming years, a foldable iPad could be priced as high as USD 3,900 (approximately IDR 65 million).

The foldable iPad is expected to resemble a MacBook, featuring an aluminium exterior with no external display. When opened, it would be approximately the size of a 13-inch MacBook Air, but without a physical keyboard. Due to the large display and aluminium chassis, the current prototype weighs around 3.5 pounds (approximately 1.5 kilogrammes), making it significantly heavier than existing iPad Pro models.