Apple's Foldable iPad Pro Prototype Features Under-Display Face ID

Monday March 10, 2025 3:14 am PDT by Tim Hardwick

Previous rumors have suggested Apple is working on a foldable iPad Pro, and a new rumor today claims that one of Apple's prototypes for the device features under-display Face ID technology.

FoldPad Redux 24 Magenta and Blue
According to Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station, one of Apple's engineering prototypes features an 18.8-inch foldable screen with a "metal superstructure lens" that integrates the receiver and transmitter components of Face ID for under-display facial recognition. The leaker provided no other information.

There have been several rumors suggesting that a foldable ‌iPad‌ or MacBook is in the works. Previous rumors have been unclear on whether the upcoming foldable device will be an ‌iPad‌ or a Mac, but either is feasible depending on what operating system Apple opts to go with.

As for under-display Face ID, it has been rumored for future iPhones for several years, but has so far failed to materialize. Today's rumor is the first to mention under-display Face ID in the context of Apple's foldable plans.

According to analyst firm Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC), Apple is planning to launch an 18.8-inch foldable iPad Pro with an OLED display in 2027. Separately, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has claimed LG aims to begin mass production of display panels for a MacBook with a 20.2-inch or an 18.8-inch foldable screen in the fourth quarter of 2025.

A December report by The Wall Street Journal has also claimed that Apple is working on a larger foldable device that's "intended to serve as a laptop" and that would unfold to be about 19 inches in size.

In addition, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has also spoken of a foldable ‌iPad in development‌, suggesting that the "giant" tablet would launch in 2028. According to Gurman, Apple does not want the upcoming foldable device to have a crease, instead appearing as a single piece of glass.

Apple is also said to be working on a book-style foldable iPhone with a crease-free display for release late next year. Rather than feature Face ID, the foldable iPhone will reportedly integrate Touch ID into a side button, similar to recent iPad Air and iPad mini models, due to internal space constraints.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro

Tags: Digital Chat Station, Foldable iPad

Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Caution)

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Top Rated Comments

Fuzzball84

21 months ago

Foldable have still not really taken off. I even know a few people who moved back to regular phones after having a foldable. They are just not that great, and it’s an extra mechanical weak point in the design.

Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Ctrlos

21 months ago

Riddle me this: what advantage does a foldable iPad over a dual-screen device? I get why you'd want your phone to turn into an iPad Mini for all sorts of reasons but nobody is buying one for an 18" web browser; the device practically screams 'multiple windows' at that size.

Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Mr_Ed

21 months ago

Beyond a certain size, I am not willing to put up with a screen-based keyboard. I hate typing on a screen but in devices like phones and tablets, it’s a tradeoff I can make for the sake of portability. But the device(s) described in this rumor are beyond that. The prospect of a “giant tablet” (as the post notes), roughly the size of a small laptop, but without a physical keyboard to enhance productivity offers little to get excited about, IMO.

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

DEMinSoCAL

21 months ago

Don't people who really use an iPad for work have the keyboard cover so they have a real keyboard? Nobody likes typing on glass for more than a sentence or two.

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)