Wait, Apple's making a folding iPad now?

Apple will likely release a folding iPad in 2024, according to analysts. Wait? Apple may release a foldable iPad ahead of a folding iPhone? That's the pitch, and it makes sense. Let's see why.

While we've been obsessing over rumours the new M2 Apple iPad Pro 2022 will be announced this week, possibly alongside news of a redesigned iPad and a new iPad home hub, experts at CCS Insight, as reported by CNBC and MacRumours (who created the render in this article), predict the next big iPad story will be a folding tablet by 2024. 

In its trends predictions for 2023 and beyond CCS Insight believes Apple will focus its foldable tech around the iPad rather than the iPhone, which makes sense given Samsung already has the folding mobile market covered, the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: hands-on review shows why this will be a hard brand to overtake, even by Apple.

“A folding iPhone will be super high risk for Apple. Firstly, it would have to be incredibly expensive in order to not cannibalise the existing iPhones,” said Ben Wood, chief of research at CCS Insight, in an interview with CNBC.

This comes after months of rumours Apple has been looking into a foldable iPhone that might just change your life, and there have been many renders created by fans of what a folding iPhone may look like.

According to analysts at CSS Insight, consumer's could face the prospect of a potential foldable iPhone costing $2,500 / £2,220, nearly double the price of an Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max, that with 1TB of memory, can cost $1,599 / £1,749. At that price range, a folding iPad 'notebook' could be more achievable. This falls in line with rumours Apple is looking at folding screens of around 20-inches, as reported by market researchers at Display Supply Chain Consultants. 

Either way, whether Apple dips its toe with a folding iPad or goes all-in with a foldable iPhone, with Samsung pushing ahead and developing new foldables, it's only a matter of time before Apple must enter the space. 

Read more:

• iPhone flip concept is jaw-droppingly good
• Apple's rumoured folding MacBook design
• Apple iPad Air (5th Gen) review