In a surprising twist to the evolving landscape of foldable devices, retail giant Amazon appears to be quietly developing its own foldable tablet, potentially beating Apple to market in this emerging category.

According to renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, whose insights have frequently proven accurate regarding Apple’s product roadmap, Amazon’s entry into the foldable tablet space could materialize as early as mid-2027, preceding Apple’s rumored foldable iPad.

The Foldable Race Intensifies

The competitive landscape for foldable devices has primarily been dominated by smartphone manufacturers, but the battlefield is expanding to larger form factors. With Huawei, Asus, and Lenovo already showcasing foldable laptops and tablets, Amazon’s potential entry signals a broader industry shift toward these versatile devices.

Kuo’s research, as reported by Financial Express, indicates that “Apple’s foldable tablet competition ‘may not be limited to Huawei'” and that Amazon is internally developing a “similar product.” While development has not fully commenced, Amazon could be ready for production by late 2026 or early 2027 if plans proceed accordingly.

This timeline would position Amazon’s device to reach consumers approximately a year ahead of Apple’s rumored foldable tablet, which Kuo suggests might not enter mass production until late 2027 or early 2028.

Strategic Implications

Amazon’s potential move into foldable tablets represents a significant expansion of its hardware strategy. The company has maintained a presence in the tablet market with its budget-friendly Fire tablets, but a foldable device would mark a dramatic upmarket shift and technological leap.

For Amazon, a foldable tablet could serve multiple strategic purposes—enhancing its ecosystem of consumer devices, providing a premium platform for its content services, and establishing the company as an innovator in a category currently dominated by traditional technology manufacturers.

Industry Context

The push toward foldable form factors reflects broader industry trends toward devices that blur traditional category boundaries. Foldable devices offer the versatility of multiple form factors in a single product—functioning as both tablet and laptop, or in smaller devices, as both smartphone and tablet.

Huawei has been particularly aggressive in this space, launching products that have shown the potential of the category while highlighting the significant engineering and manufacturing challenges involved. The complexity of reliable hinges, durable folding displays, and optimized software experiences has made bringing these products to market difficult and expensive.

Outlook and Challenges

While these reports suggest Amazon’s serious interest in foldable technology, significant hurdles remain. The development timeline extending into 2027 acknowledges the technical challenges involved in creating reliable foldable devices. Issues such as display crease, hinge durability, and software optimization have plagued early entrants in the foldable market.

For consumers, the extended timeline may feel disappointing, but it reflects the reality of developing complex new form factors. By the time these devices reach market, both the technology and manufacturing processes should be more mature, potentially resulting in more refined products.

As Tom’s Guide notes, Amazon is “reportedly in the process of developing a foldable device that could come out in 2026 or 2027,” suggesting that while plans are underway, they remain fluid and subject to technological progress and market conditions.

The foldable future appears increasingly certain, though exactly how these devices will transform our computing experiences—and which companies will lead that transformation—remains to be seen. With Amazon now reportedly joining the race, the competition will only intensify.