• A new report indicates that Apple is working with South Korean parts manufacturers on a new foldable device.
• It is unknown what this device is but its size gives credence to a theory that it could be a foldable Macbook.
• However, the release date for this device is quite far away as the report notes that it will be out earliest 2026.

Notebooks with folding screens have been a more common occurance in recent years. Brands like ASUS and Lenovo have started offering foldable PCs to capitalise on the folding device craze that swept smartphones.

With foldable smartphones, Samsung is leading the pack in terms of worldwide sales. Competitors like Huawei and HONOR have been aiming their technologies to be more like Samsung in order to attract more customers.

One brand that is keeping its devices considerably un-foldable is Apple, which has not made any indications that it will be launching a foldable iPhone any time soon.

However, a new report from a South Korean publication specialising on tech manufacturing The Elec (in Korean) points out that Apple is working on a new foldable device and that its screen measures 20.25 inches when fully unfolded.

It is a little difficult to decipher from where The Elec received this information. It mentions that Apple has been contracting with major parts makers in South Korea, and that the report is based on information gleaned from these manufacturers.

However, the report notes that “This project does not have a concrete commercialization plan and is presumed to be carried out in order to secure core foldable technology.”

It is also evident that users will have to wait for this foldable device, as Apple is only expected to release foldable IT products after “gradually increasing the application of OLED” within its products. The report sets the date for 2026 or 2027.

This means that only after Apple expands OLED application to its iPads and Macbooks then it will begin working on bringing foldable form factor technology to the market.

The over 20 inch size is evidence that it is definitely not a foldable smartphone but it could be a very large foldable iPad. The Elec, however, believes that it is a foldable Macbook.

“It is highly likely that this product will be in a form close to a Macbook,” the report says, one that could offer a 15.3 inch screen when folded.

It is also possible that the device could feature a form we have never seen before. We also have a concern about novel innovation could come to this hypothetical Macbook other than a foldable display and touchscreen capabilities.

In our review of the ASUS ExpertBook B7 Flip, we noted that the folding capabilities didn’t add too much to the overall experience of the notebook. We felt it was mostly a gimmick used to inflate prices.

We hope Apple does something unique with this folding device, whether a Macbook or other, at least to make it stand out of the pack since with its 2026/2027 launch it will be very late to the foldable party.

[Image – Dmitry Chernyshov on Unsplash]