- A well-known leaks have said that Apple’s 18.8-inch coincident
- Amazon, however, also has a ‘similar’ large foldable in the pipeline
- With Huawei recently released a foldable laptop, Apple may feel it is falling behind rivals – and we still don’t even know the exact nature of its device
Apple’s rumored big folding devices-which may be a MacBook that is all-screen and no physical keyboard, or a huge iPad tablet-Has reappeared on the vines again with a claim that it could be here in 2027.
As WCCFTECH noted, the famous Apple Leaker Ming-Chi Kuo posted at X to tell us that Apple’s 18.8-inch collapsible is still set to go into mass production in either the end of 2027 or 2028 (a timeframe he was previously mentioned and I will return to that point later).
Apple’s competitors in the large -size folding unit may not be limited to Huawei. My research shows that Amazon is also internally develops a similar product that has not yet officially started. If development is progressing as planned, it is expected to come in …May 20, 2025
This comment came after Huawei revealed his MateBook-Fold-Bearing Computer on Computex 2025 earlier this week, which is an 18-inch device, as much similar in size as Apple’s theoretical product here. (I should note that both this and the rumored apple foldable are 18 to 19 inches when fully unfolded, so that is the total size of the device).
KUO also observed that Amazon is developing a “similar product” that has not yet become official, but it may be due to hitting the production lines by the end of 2026 or maybe 2027 (add lots of spices with all this).
Analysis: Falling behind rivals?
The tip that has been dropped here is, therefore, that Apple falls behind the pacemakers of the giant coincidental unit arena, where Amazon’s schedule is apparently a year before Apple. Although said, for something that is not even officially up and running yet, the Amazon unit, which is debuting at the end of next year, seems like a fairly quick track through development.
The key question, of course, is Apple to produce an 18.8-inch collapsible MacBook or iPad? (Incidentally, if a folding laptop seems like a strange expression – and that is, given that all notebooks are folded up – it refers to a folding screen rather than chassis. This is a notebook that does not have a keyboard and instead uses a virtual keyboard displayed on half of the screen).
This is where things get a little weird as the rumors have suggested that Apple’s folding device could either be a laptop or tablet. Kuo, comparing it to Amazon’s foldable – which is definitely a fire tablet – seems to suggest it is a huge iPad. But then a direct comparison is also made to Huawei’s foldable laptop. Furthermore, the delicacy especially uses the neutral expression ‘device’ rather than any hint to name a laptop or tablet.
What suggests for me is that Apple works through concepts on both sides of the fence, tablet and laptop, and still has not made the decision that us should go with, macos or iPados, and what will be more useful: a macbook with a folding screen (and virtual keyboard) or an iPad that can be folded out to be a giant screen.
Personally, I think the MacBook idea is Frontrunner (and the rumors of Apple working on a notebook with a virtual keyboard have existed in ages). While it is more innovative and attentive, it is the more risky feature, admittedly, in terms of causing Mac fans to accept the ditch of a physical keyboard in favor of a screen-based effort. It should be a very good virtual keyboard, it is for sure. A large iPad would be a safer way to step when you look at these ideas in that light.
What is also interesting is that KUO has not changed the time of release for this 18.8-inch coincident since he talked about it in mid-2024, which could be read as Apple is on the field with his development plan here. Or KUO has simply not heard anything else, especially with regard to this decision as to whether hardware should be a laptop or tablet.
All in all, it’s a bit of a concern, but if this big collapsible device really comes from Apple, we should receive some firmer tips soon enough. And it is certainly true that plans from rival laptop (or tablet) manufacturers will help spur Apple’s thought processes and the realization of this product, or I would imagine it anyway.
