Apple postpones release of foldable MacBook: New dates and details
The foldable MacBook has been delayed until 2027 (photo: Pixabay)
The Apple MacBook, which has been the subject of speculation, will not appear before the end of 2027 or 2028 due to technical issues, according to the latest forecast by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
What is known about the foldable MacBook
Previous reports from display industry analyst Ross Young, Haitong analyst Jeff Pu, the Korean website The Elec, and Kuo suggested that Apple was developing a fully display-foldable laptop featuring either a 20.2-inch or 18.8-inch screen.
In its folded state, the laptop was rumored to include a full-size on-screen keyboard, seamlessly integrating the typing experience directly onto the display.
When fully unfolded, the device was said to function as a standard monitor. Combined with an external keyboard, it would essentially transform into a widescreen desktop setup.
In May, Kuo stated that LG Display aimed to begin mass production of display panels for a MacBook with a 20.2-inch or 18.8-inch screen in the fourth quarter of 2025. However, in his latest post on X (Twitter), he claims that Apple has canceled the 20-inch design and is now focused on the 18.8-inch display size.
"Some market participants previously expected Apple to launch the foldable iPad in 2025," Kuo said in his recent post. "But the current supply chain survey indicates that the foldable iPad has no visibility. This may also be because some call this foldable MacBook a foldable iPad."
Apple has been experimenting with various devices featuring foldable displays, including a foldable iPad and MacBook. It seems the MacBook is already foldable, but reportedly, Apple has been exploring a MacBook form factor with a full display screen that lacks a standard keyboard.
How the device might look (photo: Astropad)
When the foldable MacBook will be released
Display analyst Ross Young mentioned in July 2022 that Apple might release a foldable laptop sometime in 2026 or 2027, with uncertainty about whether such a device would be classified as a Mac, an iPad, or something in between.
In May, Haitong analyst Jeff Pu stated that Apple's first foldable devices would enter mass production in 2025 and 2026, supported by evidence of foldable devices in Apple's supply chain.
At that time, Pu indicated that Apple was likely to release a large-format foldable iPhone or MacBook within this period before launching a more high-volume foldable iPhone by the end of 2026.
Pu claimed that a 20.3-inch foldable Apple device would begin production in late 2025, which was earlier than previously expected.
However, Pu later revised his statement, suggesting that Apple might enter the foldable device market in the second quarter of 2026 due to display durability issues, reflecting Apple's intention to refine the foldable design.
