Apple's 18.8-inch foldable could arrive as early as end of next year

Apple is said to be working on two foldable devices, a foldable iPhone and a larger foldable device that could be a MacBook or an iPad. There have been a lot of leaks and rumors hinting at the specifications and the release timeline for these devices, with the larger foldable device expected for a 2028 arrival. However, it seems like the device could arrive sooner than expected as an industry analyst has hinted at a late 2026 or early 2027 launch.

According to a report by Macrumors citing GF Securities' lead analyst Jeff Pu, the development for the two foldable Apple devices has progressed and they are expected to enter mass production in the fourth quarter of 2026. The two devices in question are said to be an 18.8-inch foldable MacBook-iPad hybrid and a 7.8-inch foldable iPhone. These claims fall in line with Pu’s previous claims of the two foldables entering New Product Introduction (NPI) phase at Foxconn.

If these updates are accurate, Apple could launch its first foldable as early as end of 2026 or early 2027. While the 7.8-inch foldable iPhone was already expected to follow this timeline, the larger device was said to be slated for 2028, as hinted by other industry analysts. 

Details about the 18.8-inch foldable from Apple are a bit muddled but Pu believes it is something of a MacBook-iPad hybrid that will run macOS, but with a touch interface. If true, it will be the first touchscreen device that runs macOS. On the contrary, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman believes this large foldable device will be an iPad and that it will only arrive in 2028, and not as early as 2026 or even 2027.