Apple is developing MacBook with foldable screen: When will it be released?

Apple is working on a new device with a foldable display, presumably a MacBook. According to renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone manufacturer intends to ship over 1 million devices with a 20-inch foldable display in 2026. Previously, the analyst predicted that Apple would begin shipping laptops with foldable displays in 2027.

Kuo's report states that Apple is likely to use 20-inch foldable panels in its laptops, although an 18.8-inch display option is also possible. When folded, a 20-inch laptop would be comparable in size to a MacBook with a 14 to 15-inch display. If Apple opts for the 18.8-inch displays, the folded device would be comparable to a MacBook with a 13 to 14-inch display.

Kuo believes that Apple will use panels from the South Korean company LG Display in these laptops with foldable screens. The device is expected to be powered by Apple's proprietary M5 processor, with mass production of the portable computers potentially starting at the end of next year.

It's worth noting that rumors about Apple planning to ship laptops with foldable displays are not new. Industry analyst Ross Young first highlighted Apple's 20-inch foldable display back in 2022. Later, Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman also confirmed this rumor. At the time, Gurman stated that the vendor intended to release a hybrid device combining an iPad and a MacBook with dual screens but without physical keyboard and trackpad. In 2022, Korean media reported on Apple's collaboration with Samsung in developing laptops with foldable displays.

It is likely that the MacBook with a foldable display is not the only device of this type in development at Apple. Earlier this year, media reported that the company is working on at least two models of foldable iPhones. There is also a high probability that a flexible display iPad will be released in the future.