Apple is the only company to rival the success of Android. But unlike many Android OEMs, Apple is yet to launch a foldable device in the market. Foldable smartphones have existed for quite a time now. Samsung is prepping its fifth generation of foldable, while Apple hasn’t shown any interest in this small but growing segment.
A few months back, some patent filings revealed that Apple submitted patents for bigger foldable devices. Yes! The first foldable device by Apple could be an iPad and not an iPhone.
Apple Foldable device: An iPad?
CCS Insight published its annual predictions report which contained some surprising predictions about Apple. CNBC shared that Apple could target the currently unexplored bigger foldable devices segment. If the company indeed launches an iPad that folds or has a retractable display, it would gain a sizable lead on many brands.
But, Apple doesn’t go out of the way to experiment too. Even with foldable technology, it is still observing competitors churn out the best products. Apple is always the last to hop onto any trend. iPhone is Apple’s biggest money maker and if Apple were to launch a foldable, it would have to be twice the price of the Pro Max model.
While Apple is trying to lower the entry barriers into its ecosystem, no smartphones are actually cheap. Apple expects you to pay the Apple ‘Price’ because it ‘supposedly’ offers the best privacy and security features. CCS Insight also shared an interesting development regarding its next lineup of processors. Currently, Apple uses Qualcomm’s modem for iPhone, but it would soon integrate 5G capabilities into its processors. This move is in line with Apple’s attempts to take complete control over hardware as well.
So, a foldable could be in the works that could grace the market in 2024 or 2025. Apple has already made noticeable changes to iPad Pro to make it a fully-functional laptop. However, it is too early to say whether Apple will go ahead with the idea or not.
