According to reports, Apple intends to make 2026 the year of the foldable device. Two foldable gadgets are reportedly in the works: a combination Mac/iPad and a next-generation iPhone. Although it has long appeared likely that an iPhone will eventually fold, there are many unanswered mysteries about this second gadget. This is my attempt to explain them all.Coming in 2026: a foldable 18.8-inch all-screen device
Regarding rumors about Apple, there is a broad range of reporting reliability. However, supply chain analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Ross Young are among those with impressive resumes. According to insiders close to Kuo and Young, new Apple products are discovered years before they are released to the general public.
Kuo and Young have both claimed in recent months that Apple is working on a foldable 18.8-inch all-screen gadget. The intended year of release is 2026.
The identification of this gadget is where things get murky. It has been called a MacBook, an iPad, or a mix of a Mac and an iPad at different times.
What then is it? And will it run iPadOS or macOS if it's a hybrid device?
Here's my best estimate as to what's going on with this gadget, based on no insider knowledge.
Clearing up the misconceptions around hybrid devices :
I don't think this gadget can be a real Mac/iPad combination, if the 2026 schedule is correct.Why? Because Apple currently lacks the capacity to implement the major software upgrades that would be necessary for a real hybrid.
Apple Intelligence is without a doubt the company's top software focus for the upcoming several years. The business has already committed a large amount of resources to this endeavor. Not only cash, but developer time, which is even more crucial. And there won't be a break in it anytime soon.
Therefore, it is very improbable that Apple will commit substantial resources to the following projects during the next few years:
developing a whole new operating system for hybrid all-screen, or enabling touch input in macOS so that it can run on the new device
With its different operating systems, Apple will undoubtedly continue to advance independently of Apple Intelligence. Major new projects such as the ones mentioned above are, however, quite improbable.
I don't think this gadget can be a real Mac/iPad combination, if the 2026 schedule is correct.
Why? Because Apple currently lacks the capacity to implement the major software upgrades that would be necessary for a real hybrid.
Apple Intelligence is without a doubt the company's top software focus for the upcoming several years. The business has already committed a large amount of resources to this endeavor. Not only cash, but developer time, which is even more crucial. And there won't be a break in it anytime soon.
Therefore, it is very improbable that Apple will commit substantial resources to the following projects during the next few years:
developing a whole new operating system for hybrid all-screen, or enabling touch input in macOS so that it can run on the new device
With its different operating systems, Apple will undoubtedly continue to advance independently of Apple Intelligence. Major new projects such as the ones mentioned above are, however, quite improbable.
Therefore, it is very improbable that Apple will commit substantial resources to the following projects during the next few years:
developing a whole new operating system for hybrid all-screen, or enabling touch input in macOS so that it can run on the new device
With its different operating systems, Apple will undoubtedly continue to advance independently of Apple Intelligence. Major new projects such as the ones mentioned above are, however, quite improbable.
It’s a foldable iPad, not a MacBook
Why Ming-Chi Kuo referred to an 18.8-inch foldable as an all-screen MacBook lately is beyond me. However, it appears that he made an incorrect assumption.
I have a suspicion that Apple is preparing something that involves MacBook-typical hardware components. However, I believe they are instead for a folding iPad in this instance
When folded close, an all-screen, folding iPad would resemble a MacBook. It would require the protective metal body used on the MacBook.
However, it would be all iPad on the inside.
Undoubtedly, an M-class processor, such as the M5 Kuo described, would be used in the gadget. Since the iPad Pro was the first gadget to have an M4 processor, it stands to reason that by 2026, this cutting-edge foldable iPad will have an M5 chip or more.
A foldable iPad seems like a far better option than an all-screen folding Mac, though I may be mistaken.
However, it would be all iPad on the inside.
Undoubtedly, an M-class processor, such as the M5 Kuo described, would be used in the gadget. Since the iPad Pro was the first gadget to have an M4 processor, it stands to reason that by 2026, this cutting-edge foldable iPad will have an M5 chip or more.
A foldable iPad seems like a far better option than an all-screen folding Mac, though I may be mistaken.
Conclusion :
How much of a market is there for a very expensive foldable iPad? It's hard to determine. However, Apple is aware of its 13-inch iPad Pro sales figures. It is aware of the number of customers who also purchase a Magic Keyboard.
It seems sense that an 18.8-inch folding iPad with futuristic features would pique the curiosity of such customers. particularly if it doesn't deviate significantly from the present price range.
Without a doubt, I would be the first to give Apple my money.
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