Apple's Giant Folding iPad Project in Doubt Amid Technical Hurdles

Rumors have been swirling about Apple’s first foldable iPhone, which will likely be released later this year, but it’s probably not the only foldable device the company has been working on. A foldable iPad is also reportedly in the works, but the project has been hit enough snags that it’s now being viewed internally as a “wacky experiment” that won't ever get released according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.

The device, codenamed J312, would provide a massive canvas to view photos and videos with up to a 20” OLED display once it’s opened. When it’s closed it would look a lot like a MacBook and occupy a footprint close to that of a 13” laptop. The design would be a departure from most foldable devices on the market as it won’t have an outward facing display when closed.


Apple is supposedly unhappy with its display. Like the foldable iPhone, the company is laser focused on having a screen that has as close to an invisible crease as possible, which has significantly increased the complexity of the engineering effort. As expected, the more complex the design the higher the costs, with rumors suggesting a price close to $4,000 is not out of the question.

The price tag isn’t the only hurdle, either. The device’s weight has also reportedly become a concern for the team working on the foldable iPad. The iPad Pro models are light and easy to tote around, with weights between 1 to 1.3 pounds. However, rumors suggest the prototypes of the foldable iPads are weighing in at about 3.5 pounds, which is in the same class as some MacBook Pros.

While it would certainly be an interesting take on the iPad its rumored price would make this an extremely niche device, so it’s not surprising see it on the chopping block. Apple would be better off focusing on improving its current lineup or figuring out how to get its AI efforts sorted.