Apple will enter the foldable device market in 2024 with the release of a foldable iPad, says an analyst at CCS Insight (via CNBC). The foldable iPad will be released before Apple attempts a foldable iPhone, says Ben Wood, chief of research at CCS Insight.
Wood says Apple plans to first experiment with a foldable iPad before attempting a foldable iPhone. Wood said in an interview with CNBC that it “doesn’t make sense for Apple to make a foldable iPhone” in the current landscape. “We think they will shun that trend and probably dip a toe in the water with a foldable iPad,” he added.
“A folding iPhone will be super high risk for Apple. Firstly, it would have to be incredibly expensive in order to not cannibalize the existing iPhones,” Wood added.
The analyst said that a foldable iPhone would likely need to cost around $2,500. Apple’s most expensive iPhone, the iPhone 14 Pro Max with the largest storage, is currently the most expensive iPhone model, costing around $1,599.
Display analyst Ross Young has said that Apple is testing a foldable iPad display that is approximately 20-inches in size, and he expects to see the device hit the market in 2026 or 2027. Foldable devices are relatively news to the smartphone and tablet markets, with companies like Samsung and Microsoft releasing various foldables over the last few years.
Apple is reportedly working with LG to create an ultra-thin cover glass that could be used in the manufacturing of the Cupertino firm’s foldable devices.