Apple’s first foldable tipped to arrive sooner than expected – and it could have a giant 20.3-inch screen

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Rumors that Apple is working on a foldable iPhone have persisted for years now. But now one reputable source claims that the company’s first folding device could land sooner than anyone expected – and also likely won’t be a smartphone.

A research note from Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu (via MacRumors) claims that Apple has “accelerated” its work on a range of folding devices, apparently bringing forward the predicted launch date as production ramps up.

According to Pu, the first device in the set will be a foldable device with a 20.3-inch screen (something that has been reported before), which MacRumors believes could be either an iPad or a MacBook. 

It will apparently debut in 2025, and MacRumors adds that “this time frame is said to be supported by information from Korean display makers, as well as American and Taiwanese hinge manufacturers.” That’s much sooner than most leaks have suggested, with 2026 or 2027 more commonly predicted as the launch date.

Beyond that, Pu claims that Apple will then launch a foldable iPhone in 2026. Right now, there seems to be some uncertainty over that product’s display size, with both 7.9-inch and 8.3-inch options apparently in the mix (interestingly, these measurements match those for the current and previous-generation iPad mini). MacRumors says Apple “may launch two foldables with these two display size options, or it may opt for a single display size option only.”

Apple has something up its sleeve

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Wit Olszewski)

Whatever Apple settles on, it’s clear that both the 20.3-inch device and the smaller foldable iPhone would be ultra-premium products given the technology and requirements involved.

For instance, it’s been reported that Apple hasn’t been happy with the display quality in its foldable devices, something that has bedeviled companies like Samsung that have launched their own folding phones. Perfecting the technology has likely been a contributing factor in Apple not yet launching a foldable device.

That said, many other sources have alleged that Apple is hard at work on several folding products. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, display industry analyst Ross Young, and Apple tipster Ming-Chi Kuo have all agreed that Apple has something foldable up its sleeve, and all are considered to have reliable sources inside either Apple or its supply chain.

The idea that Apple is working on a foldable device, then, is not a revelation. What is more of a surprise is the 2025 launch date mooted by Pu. With just a year to go until we apparently see the fruits of Apple’s labor, we might not have long to wait until we can see how accurate Pu’s prediction is.

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