Apple’s first foldable device might replace iPad Mini with 8-inch display

Apple might be planning to launch its first foldable as a replacement for the iPad Mini, featuring an around 8-inch display.

Foldable phones aren’t new anymore. Android phones with foldable displays have been on the market since 2019. However, this unconventional smartphone category just started to pick up the pace. Most smartphone brands out there have announced their foldable phones, except one— Apple. Although a foldable iPhone has been rumored for a long time, we’re yet to actually see one.

Leaks and rumors suggest a foldable Apple device is now closer than ever, with the latest reports even revealing its display size. According to South Korea’s The Elec, Apple is considering launching a foldable device with a screen size of around eight inches. The report hints that this device might serve as a replacement for the iPad Mini.

A foldable iPad or iPhone may not launch before 2024

The Elec, citing industry sources, predicts the alleged foldable device is either an iPad or iPhone. There are still at least 2 years before the foldable device hits the market, claims the report.

“It was discovered that Apple is considering launching a foldable product between the late 7 inches and early 8 inches. If the launch of a late 7-inch to early 8-inch foldable product is confirmed, it will be Apple’s first foldable device. The expected product launch date is 2026-2027 at the earliest,” reads the machine-translated version of The Elec’s report.

The Apple foldable in question is reported to replace the iPad Mini, which is the smallest in the iPad series with an 8.3-inch display. However, reports suggest Apple is also working on an iPad Mini OLED, so it’s unlikely that a foldable will replace it.

Unsplash: @zhangkaiyv

Earlier reports suggest that Apple is prioritizing OLED iPads over foldables. An OLED iPad or MacBook might be on the horizon in 2025 before the debut of the first Apple foldable. One report suggests an even closer timeline, claiming that an OLED iPad might launch in April this year.

Apple might tap Samsung to produce displays for its first foldable, as per an earlier report from The Elec. The Korean company has undergone a significant internal reorganization to gear up for potential orders for foldable iPhones and iPads.