Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who previously said he expected a folding MacBook to launch in 2026, now says the timeline has been pushed back to 2027 or 2028.
He also says that work on a folding iPad is “not yet visible” in Apple’s supply chain – though Mark Gurman has given the same dates for this …
A quick note on Kuo
We’ve noted previously that Kuo’s reliability is nowhere close to where it used to be.
Kuo was once the most reliable Apple analyst around, with rock-solid supply chain sources, but now posts a great deal of mere speculation. I suspect his change of employment means that he no longer gets to spend much time on the ground in China talking with Apple suppliers.
We’d point out that back in 2023, Kuo was “positive” a folding iPad would launch in 2024. He now brushes over that prediction, and says he can’t see any sign of it in the supply-chain.
Previously, some market participants expected Apple to launch a folding iPad in 2025, but current supply chain surveys show that the folding iPad is not yet visible.
Gurman: Folding iPad in 2027 or 2028
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman retweeted Kuo, and pointed to his own reporting that there isn’t any visibility because it’s not expected for several years yet.
As I reported last week, foldable iPad not coming until 2027 or 2028: “it’s working on a giant, foldable iPad — something that might not arrive until 2027 or 2028 at the earliest, according to people with knowledge of the effort.“
Kuo: Folding MacBook in 2027 or 2028
In the same tweet, Kuo said that the folding MacBook project has been delayed to 2027 or 2028.
Folding MacBook survey update: Mass production time will be significantly delayed:
1. The final size is 18.8 inches, and Apple has canceled the 20.25-inch design.
2. Due to technical challenges such as displays and mechanisms, the assembly and mass production time has been extended from 1H26 to the end of 2027 or 2028.
9to5Mac’s Take
We’ve been discussing for years the likely confusion between three products: a folding iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
For example, a smaller folding mobile device could be seen as a folding iPhone which unfolds into an iPad, or a folding iPad which folds down into a (thicker) iPhone-sized device. A much larger folding device could be a giant iPad, or it could be a MacBook with a soft keyboard (ugh!) or a MacBook with a foldable screen and a detachable hard keyboard.
When you have sources basing their assumptions on individual components seen in Apple’s supply-chain, then it becomes almost impossible to say what the product really is. Is that hinge a MacBook one, or is it a MacBook-style hinge for a folding iPad, for example?
Even Kuo acknowledges this, albeit with the arrogant assumption that his own take is correct: “This may also be because some people call this folding MacBook a folding iPad.”
In summary, then, we have:
- The inherent confusion between a folding iPhone and iPad
- Further potential confusion between a folding iPad and Zenbook-style MacBook
- Kuo’s greatly-reduced reliability
- The fact that not even Apple’s plans for 2027 or 2028 will be solid as yet
All of these reports need to be treated as highly speculative for now. Apple’s plans will need to be significantly more advanced before we start seeing more reliable indicators in the supply chain, and even then it will be tough to distinguish a folding iPhone from a folding iPad.
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