Ryan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Apple is reportedly exploring foldable iPads but hasn’t been able to create a crease-free folding display.
- It’s believed the company could abandon the concept if it can’t kill the display crease.
We’ve seen reports about Apple working on a foldable iPad for a while now. However, it now sounds like Apple could kill the device if it can’t solve a key foldable phone obstacle.
Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman claimed in his Power On newsletter that Apple is indeed exploring foldable iPads. However, the journalist adds that the Phone maker hasn’t figured out a way to create folding screens without a crease.
Gurman’s sources told him that Apple could abandon a foldable iPad altogether if it’s unable to offer a crease-free experience. The journalist noted that there was still time for Apple to address this problem. After all, a Korean news outlet recently reported that the foldable Apple device is only tipped to arrive in the first half of 2027. This outlet also claimed that Apple was struggling to create a crease-free foldable screen.
All foldable phones on the market today have display creases, including the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Google Pixel Fold (seen above). These gutters are getting smaller, though, and we praised the OnePlus Open for having a very shallow crease in our review. So it’s entirely possible that a crease-free foldable screen will be available in the next couple of years.
We’re also curious to see whether Apple could address a few other pain points with current foldable phones, such as the lack of dust resistance and the cheap-feeling folding screens.
