Apple will launch a foldable iPad with a carbon fiber kickstand sometime next year, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In a series of tweets, Kuo said he expects an "all-new design foldable iPad" to be the next big product launch in the iPad lineup, with no other major iPad releases in the next nine to 12 months. The analyst said he was "positive" that the foldable device would arrive in 2024, but did not provide a more specific timeframe.
The analyst's latest survey indicates that a carbon fiber material will be used for the iPad's kickstand to make it light and durable. Chinese polishing and bonding supplier Anjie Technology will reportedly be the new beneficiary of the foldable iPad.
Based on Apple's iPad plans, Kuo said he was taking a "cautious approach" to iPad shipments for 2023, predicting a year-on-year decline of around 10-15 percent. However, he expects the 2024 foldable model to "boost shipments and improve the product mix."
This isn't the first time we have heard rumors of Apple planning to launch a foldable iPad. An October 2022 report from analysts at CCS Insight claimed Apple plans to use a foldable iPad in 2024 as a practice run for foldable technology before adopting it on the iPhone.
Apple is testing a foldable iPad display that's around 20-inches in size, according to reliable display analyst Ross Young, however Young expects the device to hit the market a lot later in 2026 or 2027.
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Thus, I'm taking a cautious approach to iPad shipments for 2023, predicting a YoY decline of 10-15%. Nevertheless, I'm positive about the foldable iPad in 2024 and expect this new model will boost shipments and improve the product mix. — 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) January 30, 2023
Apple is said to be working with LG to create an ultra-thin cover glass that could be used on the company's foldable products, although it's not clear whether the material would be used in an iPhone or iPad.
Update: Since Kuo made his prediction, Ross Young has said that he is expecting multiple OLED iPads in 2024, but he has heard nothing about a foldable iPad in the same year.
Update 2: Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has also weighed in on Kuo's prediction, saying he has not heard anything about a foldable iPad in 2024, which he expects to be a year of OLED iPad Pro models and spec bumps for the entry-level iPad and iPad mini.
