Apple’s engineers have chased the dream of a foldable iPad for years. A 20-inch display that folds in half. Portable power for creators. But now, insiders whisper it might join the graveyard of scrapped prototypes.
The latest reports paint a grim picture. This device, once a top priority for incoming CEO John Ternus, could fade into obscurity. People familiar with the project told Bloomberg it ‘may end up being a wacky experiment that doesn’t see the light of day.’ That’s straight from Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter, dated April 26, 2026.
Microsoft’s Surface Neo: A Cautionary Tale from 2019
Remember the Surface Neo? Microsoft unveiled it with fanfare in October 2019. Dual 9-inch screens connected by a 360-degree hinge. A productivity beast for Windows apps. It promised to redefine tablets. Never shipped. The pandemic hit. Software lagged. Costs soared. By 2021, Microsoft pulled the plug, folding its dual-screen ambitions into Android-based efforts like the Surface Duo.
Apple faces similar headwinds. Early prototypes tipped the scales at three times the weight of a 13-inch iPad Pro—around 3.5 pounds unfolded. Display creases persist. Production yields falter. Digital Trends flagged these parallels on April 27, 2026, warning the iPad could stumble ‘under its own weight.’
Timelines tell the story. Rumors pegged a 2024 debut. Slipped to 2026. Then 2028. Now 2029, if ever. The Verge tracked the delays on April 26, 2026: ‘The rumored release has slipped from 2024, to 2026, to 2028, to 2029, and now… it might not happen at all.’
Cost? Eye-watering. Prototypes eyed $3,900 price tags, per earlier Gurman reports echoed in PCMag on April 27. Who pays that for a heavier, pricier iPad when MacBooks exist?
And software. iPadOS handles multitasking well. But folding demands more—dynamic apps, crease-free UI. Microsoft struggled with Windows on Neo. Apple risks the same if apps don’t adapt.
Ternus Takes the Helm: Foldables Shift to iPhone First
John Ternus steps up as CEO on September 1, 2026, replacing Tim Cook. Hardware guru. Pushed the foldable iPad hard. But CEO duties loom larger—strategy, supply chains, AI pushes. The project might get sidelined.
Contrast with the iPhone Fold. That’s charging ahead. Book-style, 7.8-inch inner screen. Mass production eyes late 2026. Launch alongside iPhone 18 Pro in September, per Gurman and MacRumors on April 27. Branded iPhone Ultra, even. Supply tight, but viable.
Why the difference? Phones sell volume. Tablets? Niche. iPad revenue hit billions last year, but growth stalls. A mega-foldable targets pros—designers, editors. Yet market tests falter. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold thrives in phones. Larger slabs? Crickets.
Apple’s pipeline bulges. Ten new categories: AI wearables, smart home hubs, touchscreen MacBooks, AR glasses by 2028-2030. AppleInsider noted on April 26 the iPad’s fate hangs in doubt amid this rush.
Insiders doubt. ‘Several people who worked on it’ see no path to shelves, per Bloomberg. Durability. Optimization. Economics. All barriers.
Foldables matured in phones. Samsung, Huawei lead. Huawei’s Pura X Max steals buzz with wide formats. Apple enters late—perfect crease control, premium build. But tablets? Unproven demand.
Scrap it? Or pivot? Ternus could retool for pros—M-series chips, Stage Manager tweaks. Price at $2,500. Test waters post-iPhone Fold success.
History rhymes. Microsoft learned. Dual-screens dazzle in demos. Reality bites. Apple knows. iPad Pro M4 crushed with tandem OLED. No folds needed.
So. Will the foldable iPad launch? Odds low. A bold swing. Risky follow-through. Watch Ternus’s first keynote. That’s the tell.
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