Apple’s Foldable MacBook Delayed: Expected Release Pushed to Late 2027 or 2028

The elusive foldable MacBook at the center of many rumors is now not slated to appear until late 2027, if ever ready for creation, because of technical hurdles in a…

By Ishika Setia

August 22, 2024

2 min read

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The elusive foldable MacBook at the center of many rumors is now not slated to appear until late 2027, if ever ready for creation, because of technical hurdles in a new report penned by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

More About the Foldable Apple MacBook

Past reports from analysts Ross Young and Jeff Pu, as well as The Elec, a media outlet based in Korea, reported that Apple was rumored to be working on foldable laptops with 20.2-inch or 18.8-inch all-display screens just last year. The idea was that the on-screen keyboard would be a full-sized one while in folded state. Opened, it would function much like a regular monitor that you could use paired with an external keyboard for more of a desktop-style big screen setup.

Kuo previously said that LG Display plans to begin mass-producing the new panels late in 2025. However, Kuo’s recent update on X (formerly Twitter) indicates that Apple would have ditched the 20-inch size in favor of an alternative at a smidge smaller 18.8 inches wide. Kuo also said that a foldable iPad could still happen in 2025, but the recent supply chain surveys indicate otherwise for a foldable iPad release. A foldable device or form-factor like this one, cannot be mistaken for anything but a tablet.

That Apple is considering foldable devices should not come as a surprise, with rumors suggesting the company has even tested an all-display MacBook without any keyboard. A recent tale from screen analyst Ross Young suggested that we might see a foldable laptop in 2026 or 2027, but it’s not clear if this will be positioned as another Mac, an iPad, or a hybrid.

Already, Haitong analyst Jeff Pu had predicted Apple’s foldable would not hit mass production until late 2025 or early 2026. Pu initially believed the 20.3-inch display model could enter mass production in late 2025, but he later updated his prediction to Q2 2026 because of potential concerns over screen durability. This suggests that Apple is still refining its foldable device designs.

FAQs

When is Apple’s foldable MacBook expected to launch?

The foldable MacBook is now expected to launch no earlier than late 2027 or early 2028.

What are the main design features of the rumored foldable MacBook?

The rumored foldable MacBook is expected to feature an 18.8-inch all-display screen, a full-size on-screen keyboard when folded, and a standard monitor when unfolded.