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Apple's 18.8-Inch Foldable Device to Enter Mass Production in Late 2026
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If they do it right, it will sell unbelievably well.
Agreed, but iPads don’t make sense in any form factor. They’re limited by iPad os and are effectively useless.
To me the success level will depend upon which OS it runs.
An even larger iPad Pro that folds down smaller isn't really solving any problem in a meaningful way.
This device needs to be capable of running macOS (or some new hybrid of macOS / iPadOS)
I agree 100% it could have the most unbelievable hardware but if it doesn’t run Mac OS even in tandem with iPad OS, it’s worthless to me. If it runs Mac OS and has a big screen, that’s an instant buy for me. I have a thinkpad fold that folded it’s the size of an iPad Pro 11”, unfolded it’s over 16”.
I’m genuinely interested to know how or why you would use a folding iPad?
I use my iPad more like a touchscreen laptop than a tablet. I just find it easier than using a trackpad or mouse.
Me too. DOA if it's iPad OS. I've tried the whole use-your-iPad-as-your-only-device experiment and it failed miserably. Now that everything runs Apple Silicon, I still don't understand why Apple doesn't release an iPad that can run Mac OS, apart from profit-related motives.
Its exciting this is running MacOS, lets developers expirement
Unlike the incredibly locked down iPad and Apple Vision - which have become nothing more than their apple envisioned boxed in possibilities
Unlike the incredibly locked down iPad and Apple Vision - which have become nothing more than their apple envisioned boxed in possibilities
They probably think they’d cannibalize iPad sales if they offered it but I think now they’re cannibalizing Mac sales by not offering it. It should be an option on the pro models at least.
Zero. Since Tim Cook has never released a product or service that starts with "i" since taking over, and has even removed it from things (iPhoto is now Photos for example). Cook prefers to name products starting with "" instead. Which makes sense because he never has to worry about another company having the rights like they did with "i" like their problems with iTV and iWatch. It was much easier to just rename them TV and Watch.
Not to mention the poker connotation: deciding that one’s hand cannot match the risks involved and conceding defeat…
Maybe it could be macOS (as is) if it requires Apple Pencil as its main input method, with limited touch function—just gestures (I think that’s how it is with Sidecar?). So it would mainly be intended for people who need the Pencil for work/productivity, not so much for the casual user who wants to relax with it on the couch.
Also since Macs can run iPad apps, touch would be useful for those. I mentioned this in another thread, but I could see Apple implementing a new UI within macOS (not an OS in itself) to manage iPad app windows for this device.
Same. We can't have MacOS on an iPad now, why would we get it in two years? and an 18" touchscreen seems way outside Apple's design language, foldable or not. This rumor almost sounds like a canary trap.
