Bloomberg reported this weekend that Apple has created prototypes of a foldable iPad, with intentions of launching it in 2028. This gadget is expected to unfold into a display nearing 20 inches in size.
This news is compelling, as it hints at a product that may appear almost as specialized as the Vision Pro. However, Apple might aim to introduce it for objectives akin to those for the Vision Pro…
A foldable iPad is a specialized product
Mark Gurman referred to this device as “a massive iPad.”
Apple’s design team is crafting a device similar to a large iPad that opens to the size of two iPad Pros side by side. The Cupertino firm has been refining this product for a few years and aims to release it around 2028, I’ve been informed.
He anticipates it will retail for over $2,000, which might be a conservative estimate.
My colleague Ryan Christoffel, who swapped out his MacBook for an iPad, believes this might just be his ideal device. I have no doubt that it will attract other enthusiasts too, but given its specialist appeal and lofty price, I can’t envision it being anything but a niche offering, more comparable to Vision Pro than to other devices in Apple’s portfolio.
However, it’s probably a testing ground for a future MacBook
Nonetheless, the Vision Pro has shown that Apple isn’t shy about launching niche products that serve as stepping stones to more mainstream innovations. CEO Tim Cook has been candid about this recently.
“At $3,500, it’s not a mass-market product,” Cook explains. “For now, it’s aimed at early adopters.”
The Vision Pro is meant to pave the way for a more affordable headset and eventually lead to Apple Glasses.
In a similar fashion, a foldable iPad appears to be a precursor to a product Apple has been eyeing for several years: a MacBook equipped with a soft keyboard. The Touch Bar was an initial attempt in this direction, albeit not particularly successful.
Incorporating iPhone-like versatility into a MacBook
When Steve Jobs introduced the original iPhone in 2007, a central part of his argument was that all existing smartphones at the time featured physical keyboards. While these are useful for standard typing, he argued, they’re often a waste of space when not needed.
A physical keyboard also restricts users to a single layout, which may not suit all applications. Sometimes a US QWERTY layout is required, other times a different language, and sometimes a numeric keypad is needed.
A variety of attempts at dynamic keyboards for laptops and desktops exist. The predominant method has been a physical keyboard with dynamically-assignable LCD, LED, or e-ink keycaps.
The first commercially-available version came from e3 Keys, which now uses the same approach for control panels. Sonder offered a comparable option using e-ink keycaps and was reportedly in talks with Apple at one point.
The concept is to have a QWERTY keyboard by default, but when utilizing Final Cut Pro, for instance, all keys morph into visual representations of the editing tools.
Unfortunately, the Sonder keyboard never came to fruition, despite orders being accepted by the company.
However, a series of Apple patents have hinted at the company’s ambition to advance further, aiming for a fully soft keyboard, or a second display adaptable as a keyboard.
The three challenges, and Apple’s potential remedies
The idea of a MacBook featuring a soft keyboard raises concerns for many Mac enthusiasts due to three significant issues:
- Glass keyboards can be uncomfortable for typing
- Virtual keys provide no tactile feedback upon activation
- Touch-typing is challenging as fingers struggle to locate virtual keys
For these reasons, they aren’t practical for anything beyond short entries.
Nevertheless, Apple patents have outlined possible solutions to each of these challenges:
- A flexible, deformable keyboard that enhances typing comfort
- Haptic feedback to replicate the sensation of an actual key
- An electrostatic charge that allows users to feel the outlines of virtual keys
I’m uncertain if these innovations will materialize in the near future, but Apple has proven capable of addressing at least one of these challenges: MacBook trackpads have been solid-state for several years, and the haptic feedback of a ‘click’ feels remarkably real to me. Therefore, I believe the company will eventually find solutions.
Apple has a history of using the iPad as a testing platform
On numerous occasions, Apple has introduced new technologies on the iPad before bringing them to the Mac.
For instance, OLED displays have been utilized, though one could argue this relates more to size – it began as tech that Apple initially applied to the smaller screen of the Apple Watch, then the iPhone and iPad, before it was incorporated into future MacBooks.
Face ID is another instance where it debuted on the iPhone first, then the iPad, and still hasn’t yet appeared on Macs.
The Center Stage camera feature was introduced to the iPad in 2021 but only made its way to Mac this year with the latest M4 MacBook Pro.
Cellular variants of the iPad have been around for a long time, yet we may not see this feature available on a Mac until at least 2026.
We’ve also observed instances in software. While iPadOS lags behind macOS in many aspects, there have been cases of new features debuting on iPad before the Mac. This includes the Books and Shortcuts apps, a fully-functional Messages app, and most recently, Genmoji.
The four reasons for prioritizing iPad development
Thus, I suspect that this is Apple’s strategy here, driven by four primary reasons for trialing the iPad first.
Firstly, and most obviously, the iPad is inherently a touch-based device. While some users are often connected to the Magic Keyboard, they represent a niche market. For the majority of iPad users, it remains a touch-centric device, so maintaining this approach is unproblematic.
Secondly, from a technological standpoint, the solutions Apple proposes for making a soft keyboard tolerable are still in early development stages and are likely years away from realization.
Thirdly, there’s the issue of controversy. Even after addressing the three challenges, rolling out a MacBook devoid of a physical keyboard is bound to generate massive backlash! Introducing something like this, even as an option amongst other models, would create an uproar far greater than the reactions to switching iPhone charging ports or eliminating headphone jacks; an all-screen MacBook would stir an unprecedented wave of criticism.
Lastly – and I aim to phrase this carefully so as not to offend those who use an iPad as their primary device – there’s less at stake with the iPad. While the iPhone is undoubtedly Apple’s most profitable product, the Mac is often perceived as the most serious and professional line. A misstep with an iPad launch would likely incur fewer repercussions than a similar mistake with a Mac.
What’s your perspective?
In my opinion, a foldable iPad will be a costly niche product, more similar to Vision Pro than anything else – yet it will serve as a pathway towards the much bolder transition of an all-screen MacBook. What do you think?
Please share your insights in the comments.
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