Apple has been widely rumoured to be expanding its foldable ambitions beyond the iPhone. The rumour mill has pointed to a much larger device that could combine elements of an iPad and MacBook, while having a foldable form factor. While it was previously anticipated to be launched as soon as 2026 before allegedly facing delays, a new report suggests that Apple might have cancelled the project altogether.
Apple’s Foldable MacBook Plans Have Reportedly Been Cancelled
Earlier this year, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple was developing a roughly 20-inch foldable iPad and described it as a priority for Apple’s new CEO John Ternus, who was then Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. However, Gurman also cautioned that Apple could ultimately abandon the product, calling it a potentially experimental device that might not see a commercial launch.
According to the latest research note from Omdia (via 9to5Mac), Apple’s plans for foldable MacBooks have been cancelled. Based on the display size and the history of Apple’s reported project, this appears to refer to the same large foldable device that has previously been discussed by Gurman and other sources.
The purported device was expected to feature a foldable display measuring between 16.1 and 18 inches when opened, and had been linked to Apple’s long-rumoured plans for a larger iPad-Mac hybrid. The device was initially expected to arrive as early as 2026, but its timeline was later pushed back. Reports also suggested that an 18-inch-class model could arrive around 2029.
The reported cancellation comes just days after John Ternus officially became Apple’s CEO and as the company prepares to introduce its first foldable iPhone, dubbed the iPhone Ultra, during its September 9 event.
For now, Apple’s foldable strategy appears to be narrowing around the iPhone.The reported cancellation of the larger foldable would mean Apple may not immediately follow that launch with a similarly MacBook or iPad-sized device.
