Apple's purported 18-inch foldable iPad plans are "now in flux" according to the latest reports, with the foldable iPad postponed with a release in 2029 "at the earliest".
In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says that Apple is preparing a slew of new products that would be the "most compelling" in its history, including the first foldable iPhone, a revamped iPhone Pro smartphone for the device's huge 20-year anniversary, new smart glasses, a tabletop robot, and other home tech.
- Read more: Apple's foldable iPad expected after 2028: new OLED tandem display + COE tech
- Read more: Apple's foldable iPad rumors: manufacturing issues, lack of demand
- Read more: Apple's huge 18.8-inch foldable rumored for mass production in late 2026
- Read more: Apple's foldable iPad specs teased: 18.8-inch foldable OLED display, and more
One of those exciting devices was meant to be an 18-inch foldable iPad, but Gurman writes that unfortunately, "this device is suffering some hiccups". Apple reportedly had plans -- just like the last 6+ months of rumors have teased -- to release the foldable 18-inch iPad sometime in 2028, but the company has "run into challenges tied to the weight of the prototypes and the ultra-advanced folding OLED panel".
Gurman writes that there are "also concerns" surrounding the price, which is "likely to be north of $3000", and whether there's even a market for the foldable iPad. This lines up with rumors recently of Apple experiencing manufacturing issues and citing a lack of demand for a foldable tablet, which you can read more about in the links above.
It's really a "toss up" whether the foldable iPad ever actually comes to market according to people working on it writes Gurman, adding that the foldable iPad is a "wildly expensive and tricky-to-build concept". He adds that Apple may "glean some insights from China" where Huawei has built a similar product that costs around $3400.
