Apple’s foldable iPad could be the dream all-in-one I’ve always wanted

Rumors that Apple is developing a large foldable iPad have surfaced again. But now we have some new details, and as a heavy iPad user, I’m very excited – although a few key questions remain.

A foldable iPad with an 18.8-inch display is in development

There have been rumors about a foldable iPad and/or full-screen MacBook for some time. Full screen Mac has never made sense to meand now a new report leans heavily toward the direction of this future product, the iPad after all.

Mark Gurman wrote this weekend:

Apple designers are working on something akin to a giant iPad that could unfold side by side to the size of two iPad Pros. As far as I know, the Cupertino, California-based company has been polishing the product for a few years, with the goal of bringing it to market around 2028… Last week, a copy was posted on X Document purporting to show Apple’s display plans.

My initial reaction to this report? This might be the device I’ve been dreaming about for a long time.

Here’s why.

Why a foldable iPad might be my dream device

I am a heavy iPad user and have been for many years.

I’ve owned many major iPad models since the original iPad launched in 2010.

From 2010 to 2015, I used an iPad and iPad mini as the third device in my life. As an ultra-portable tablet, it complements my Mac and iPhone perfectly.

Starting from the end of 2015, with the First iPad Pro.

Initially, I thought the iPad Pro was too big. But then I had an idea: What if it could replace my laptop?

The rest is history. I’ve been using an iPad Pro as my primary computer for nearly a decade, with few exceptions.

But there has always been a problem: 13-inch iPad Pro It’s my favorite model and it’s a great laptop. But in my opinion, it’s too big to work well as a tablet.

this 11-inch iPad Pro It has the opposite problem: It’s a great tablet, but the limited screen size makes it a terrible laptop.

Now, Apple is working on a device that actually finds a way to balance the two, a laptop and tablet in one.

There are many unanswered questions and unknown details, but Apple’s foldable device has the potential to offer essentially an 11-inch iPad Pro body, but with laptop-style features – all the more thanks to its massive display.

Unresolved questions and concerns

Despite my overall enthusiasm, there are a number of questions that still dampen my excitement. For example, here are three areas I’m particularly curious about:

Tablet mode: Is there a way to use the device in “half-screen” tablet mode? Essentially, providing an experience equivalent to that of an 11-inch tablet. If not, this foldable tablet might be worse, not better, than the 13-inch iPad Pro.

keyboard options: Can foldable devices accommodate Magic Keyboard-style accessories? I guess the new form factor doesn’t quite fit into a physical keyboard case. Perhaps the extra available space for an on-screen numeric keypad will allay this concern, but it’s an open question for those who use an on-screen numeric keypad. Current Magic Keyboard 24/7.

iPadOS changes: 2028 is still a few years away, so Apple has plenty of time to upgrade iPadOS between now and then and optimize multitasking. In other words, if the company launches an 18.8-inch iPad with the same multitasking system as now, I’m afraid the extra screen space will feel like a waste.

Foldable iPad packaging

Apple isn’t the kind of company that creates something just because it’s a trend. Foldable products also prove this. While other companies have been making foldable phones and tablets for years, Apple has been holding off.

Therefore, I believe that if the foldable iPad does arrive, it will have a good reason for existing. I certainly hope the reason is to offer the iPad Pro the best of both worlds.

You could say this is an iPad Ultra that caters to both tablet and laptop users.

What do you think of the foldable iPad rumors? Let us know in the comments.

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