That Rumored 18-Inch Foldable iPad Is a Terrible Idea

The only foldables that make sense are phones. The promise of a pocketable big screen is enough that Samsung has nearly perfected the design with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Even Apple seems to want in on the foldable action. Sure, we all want to see Apple’s take on a folding iPhone. But if the iPhone maker still imagines it could stretch an iPad Pro screen as large as 18 inches, it should ask first if anybody actually wants to use a pizza box-sized tablet.

Apple has been working on multiple foldable designs over the last few years, at least according to a mass of rumors and multiple public patents. One of those designs—a folding 18-inch iPad—reportedly hit a snag, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The report says the device was originally slated for a 2028 release, though it may be delayed all the way to 2029 or later. This holdup is due to “engineering challenges†related to making a large screen feel light while still offering enough battery life and processing power users tend to expect from the latest iPads.

Apple’s engineers are running into the same problems multiple other companies have faced designing large laptop-sized tablets. The folding iPad would apparently be the same size as a 13-inch MacBook Air when folded up, and it would lack an exterior display. When unfolded, its 18-inch wingspan would dwarf any other tablet or laptop’s total surface area. Such a device could also start at $3,000 or more, according to Bloomberg. Based on my past experience with folding PCs, I really wouldn’t blame Apple if it decides to bin this project and focus its efforts elsewhere.

First, we need to talk about what a foldable even is. These devices use a thinner display layer than you typically find on your average smartphone or tablet. This allows the screen to fold without breaking. Makers like Google and Samsung, alongside a multitude of Asian brands, have constantly iterated on hinge designs to keep the devices stable even after the device is opened or closed hundreds or thousands of times. If you look at an X-ray of a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 when clammed up, you’ll find the screen forms a kind of oblong “U†shape, which is to help protect the thin screen’s most sensitive part from any stray dust particles. Even then, foldables are noticeably more prone to wear and tear. The only foldable phone to include an IP68 durability rating against dust and water is the recent Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

Nobody wants to use an 18-inch tablet

These issues with size and durability on foldable screens compound the bigger you make the device. The HP Spectre Fold from back in 2023 cost $5,000 and billed itself as a true 3-in-1. It was a laptop, tablet, and faux desktop all in one. It was also the worst way to use any of those. When extended, the device was an utterly massive 17-inch tablet running on a lower-end Intel chip that led to input delays and poor benchmarks. It was simply too large to hold comfortably. The only way to use it as a tablet was on a desk with you uncomfortably hunched over the screen.

The other problem is the battery life. HP made some novel innovations, flattening the battery so it effectively took over one end of the laptop/tablet/desktop’s shell. That left little room for other components to allow the device to perform well. It was the same problem I had with Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Fold 16. Even if that screen felt more manageable at 16.3 inches extended, it didn’t feel anywhere near as powerful as a $2,500 device should. Apple has a good track record with its iPad Pros with M4 and new M5 versions for both size and battery life. But even if it could remedy the pain points, such a device would still offer a worse experience than a standard tablet.

Apple may imagine it would stick a Magic Keyboard inside the folds to create a kind of iPad sandwich. PC makers Lenovo, Asus, and HP have tried that before with mixed success on their foldable laptops. The problem is offering any sense of comfort when you lack the palm rests you normally have on a laptop. No matter what, a foldable iPad or folding Mac will feel like a loose bag of compromises. Just give us that rumored OLED MacBook Pro with a touchscreen instead.