We’ve been hearing for years that Apple is working on a large-screen folding device that’s more likely to be an iPad than an iPhone. And now a new report sheds some new light on the project–which could arrive in 2026.
According to a Medium post by Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is looking to ship a large-screen folding MacBook by 2026. That’s a slightly more aggressive timeline than has been previously rumored and could represent an acceleration of the project. Kuo claims Apple “aims to make the panel as crease-free as possible, requiring high design specifications for both the panel and the hinge,” which are pricey at around $900 for the two parts.
Kuo claims that Apple is considering a folding MacBook with either a 20.25-inch or 18.8-inch display, which would correspond to the closed size of Apple’s current 14–15-inch and 13–14-inch laptops, respectively. On X, Ross Young of Display Supply Chain Consultants (via MacRumors) said Apple is leaning toward the 18.8-inch model to keep costs down.
According to Kuo, the laptop will use Apple’s M5 chip, which is expected to ship in the second half of 2026.
In case you didn’t already guess, Kuo says the folding MacBook is “likely to be expensive” and the bill of materials “could approach that of the current Vision Pro.” Apple currently sells a 16-inch MacBook Pro that starts at $3,499 but it has a high-end M3 Max processor, 36GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Based on Kuo’s explanation, a folding MacBook would significantly lower specs for a similar price.
However, Apple’s first folding device will likely be a bigger hit than Vision Pro, with Kuo estimating more than a million units in 2026.
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor, Macworld
Michael Simon has been covering Apple for more than 20 years. He started covering rumors with Spymac when the iPod was the iWalk, and has owned nearly every iPhone Apple has ever made. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, son, and far too many gadgets.