Apple’s gigantic foldable iPad could take far longer to arrive than earlier rumors suggested, as fresh details now point to internal hurdles that have slowed development and pushed the device toward the end of the decade. Earlier reports placed Apple’s first foldable tablet around 2028, but the latest update suggests 2029 is more realistic, and even that timeline does not look locked in.
The device has long been described as an 18-inch to 20-inch foldable iPad with an OLED panel, designed to blur the line between a large tablet and a compact laptop, yet Apple still intends to keep it firmly in the iPad category rather than turn it into a Mac replacement. That distinction matters because Apple continues to treat the iPad and Mac as separate products with different software, hardware priorities, and business goals.
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In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said the foldable iPad has
“run into a series of hurdles, including concerns about its practicality when it comes to typing.”
He added that the product now sits “near the end of Apple’s 2020s road map,” which places it closer to 2029 than 2028.
Earlier rumors in 2025 pointed to a launch later this decade, but Gurman’s update shows Apple still struggles with real-world usability questions, especially around typing on a massive foldable screen. Even if the hardware moves forward, Apple plans to run iPadOS on the device, not macOS, which reinforces that this remains an iPad through and through.
Price, display and expectations
Reports continue to suggest a price well above $2,500, which would position it as one of Apple’s most expensive consumer devices. The foldable iPad is expected to use a large hybrid OLED panel designed to reduce screen distortion and creasing, an issue that affects bigger foldable displays.
For now, you should not wait for the foldable iPad unless you already have all the devices you need, because the launch window keeps shifting, and Apple has not committed to a firm date.
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