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Apple’s Foldable iPad: What the Reports Say About Its Design and Timing
Apple is reportedly testing an 18–20 inch foldable iPad that could take cues from Huawei’s MateBook Fold. The Huawei device offers a real world comparison, but its design is not proof of Apple’s final approach.
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Key takeaways
- Apple is reportedly testing an 18–20 inch foldable iPad that could take cues from Huawei’s MateBook Fold.
- The Huawei device offers a real world comparison, but its design is not proof of Apple’s final approach.
- Reports conflict on whether Apple is still developing the device, so its eventual release remains uncertain.
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openai.comCreate a landscape editorial hero image for this Studio Global article: What do reports from Chinese tipster @Kang, Gizmochina, Notebookcheck, Ming-Chi Kuo, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and MacRumors reveal about Appl. Article summary: The reports point to an experimental 18- to 20-inch foldable iPad that could borrow design ideas from Huawei’s MateBook Fold, rather than an announced Apple product. Apple has not confirmed it, and the available reportin. Topic tags: general, general web. Style: premium digital editorial illustration, source-backed research mood, clean composition, high detail, modern web publication hero. Use reference image context only for broad subject, composition, and topical grounding; do not copy the exact image. Avoid: logos, brand marks, copyrighted characters, real person likenesses, fake screenshots, UI text, readable text, watermarks, charts with fake numbers, clic
Apple is reportedly exploring a very large foldable iPad, with a screen measuring 18 to 20 inches when open and a more compact shape when folded. Chinese tipster @Kang’s reported comparison to Huawei’s MateBook Fold has fueled speculation about the design, but Apple has not confirmed the device, its specifications or a launch date. 5
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What the reports suggest about the design
Gizmochina’s report on @Kang’s claim describes Apple as testing a “foldable giant tablet” that might take design cues from Huawei’s MateBook Fold. That points to a possible reference, not a confirmed design decision. 5
The reported screen size is unusually large for a tablet: 18–20 inches unfolded. Sources describe the device as folding into a smaller form for carrying, but that does not establish how portable it would feel in everyday use. 3
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Some coverage compares the open screen to two iPads side by side, but that is best treated as a way to convey its scale—not a settled configuration or specification. 45
53 One earlier report also described a concept with an aluminum, Mac-like exterior when closed and no outside display. Those details remain unconfirmed.
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Huawei’s MateBook Fold is a comparison, not a blueprint
Huawei’s MateBook Fold provides a concrete example of a large foldable device. Reports describe an 18-inch dual-layer OLED screen and a 7.3 mm thickness at its thinnest when open; the device launched in China in August 2026 with a Kirin X90 Plus chip and a starting price of 24,999 yuan. 5
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Those features help explain why the MateBook Fold is being used as a point of comparison. They do not show that Apple’s device would share its hardware, software or price. And while a very large display could benefit from software designed for more desktop-like use, reports have not established whether Apple plans a different operating system or interface for it. 36
Launch timing and reported engineering hurdles
In September 2025, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo forecast a foldable iPad for 2028. His forecast also included projected shipments of 500,000 to 1 million units that year; these are estimates, not confirmed production figures. 37
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Reports citing Kuo have described Corning as the expected supplier of ultra-thin glass, with General Interface Solutions handling processing work such as cutting and inspection. Those supply-chain details are reported plans, not confirmation that the product is moving toward release. 46
Later reports relaying Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman cited weight and display technology as development challenges and suggested the launch could slip to 2029 or later. One report described prototypes weighing about 3.5 pounds. These are reported development details, not final specifications. 25
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Price estimates are similarly unsettled: reports have floated figures as high as $3,900, while another cited an estimate closer to $3,000. Apple has not announced a price. 26
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Is Apple still working on it?
The reporting is mixed. An April 2026 MacRumors article relayed a claim from leaker Instant Digital that Apple had likely abandoned plans for an “iPad Ultra.” A May 2026 MacRumors report, by contrast, said development was continuing despite technical hurdles. Neither report establishes that Apple will ship the device. 18
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The clearest conclusion is that a large foldable iPad has been reported as an Apple project, with Huawei’s MateBook Fold serving as a possible design reference. The 2028 date was an analyst forecast, not a company commitment, and later coverage raised the possibility of delays. The final design, software, price and release status remain unknown.
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What is the short answer to "Apple’s Foldable iPad: What the Reports Say About Its Design and Timing"?
Apple is reportedly testing an 18–20 inch foldable iPad that could take cues from Huawei’s MateBook Fold.
What are the key points to validate first?
Apple is reportedly testing an 18–20 inch foldable iPad that could take cues from Huawei’s MateBook Fold. The Huawei device offers a real world comparison, but its design is not proof of Apple’s final approach.
What should I do next in practice?
Reports conflict on whether Apple is still developing the device, so its eventual release remains uncertain.