Apple reportedly developing MacBook with 20-inch folding display at high prices

Rumors about a MacBook with a foldable display have been circulating for several months, and now analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has provided the most concrete details about the device to date. According to the analyst, Apple is developing a notebook based on a foldable 20.25-inch display, which should be about the size of a 14-inch laptop when folded, although the company is also said to be considering an 18.8-inch model that can be folded to the size of a 13-inch laptop.

Apple is said to be making great efforts to reduce the fold as much as possible, which increases costs. This is because the foldable panel is said to cost Apple between $600 and $650 to purchase, and the hinge is said to cost a further $200 to $250. These costs are based on current estimates; if Apple's suppliers can improve production yields, these costs may fall by the time the notebook is launched. 

However, Ming-Chi Kuo expects that the production costs will be almost as high as those of the Apple Vision Pro. As Apple's mixed reality headset costs at least $3,499, the MacBook with foldable display is also likely to be launched on the market for well over $3000. This would come as no surprise, as the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold currently costs around $2,200. The "MacBook Fold" is to be based on an Apple M5 series processor and, according to Apple's current schedule, will go into production between the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first half of 2026, although such schedules are subject to change (because of delays, for example).