know when to fold 'em —

Report: Apple is planning both a foldable screen and a kickstand for the iPad

Rumors of an even-larger iPad have persisted for a couple of years now.

Report: Apple is planning both a foldable screen and a kickstand for the iPad
Apple

Normally reliable sources are predicting a quiet 2023 for the iPad, with few if any major upgrades. But that may just be setting the tablet up for a big update in 2024—supply-chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple is working on a foldable iPad with a built-in kickstand for release at some point next year, along with a new version of the iPad mini in early 2024.

Kuo's information appears to come from a Hong Kong-based company named Anije Technology, which is said to be "a polishing and bonding supplier of the carbon fiber kickstand for the foldable iPad."

A foldable iPad with a kickstand (most likely in the iPad Pro lineup, since that's where Apple tends to debut new designs and screen technology) would be a blend of new and old tablet ideas. Foldable screens have appeared in some smartphones and tablets but are still relatively rare and expensive, and Apple hasn't used them in any of its products yet. Meanwhile, Microsoft's Surface tablets have included a built-in kickstand for over a decade, while Apple has relied on a series of ever-more-expensive keyboard cases and stands to prop up the iPad Pro.

Foldable screens can allow companies to ship larger tablets that can still fold to a reasonable size for travel and storage. Various reports (collected here by MacRumors) suggested that Apple has worked on iPads in the 14-to-16-inch range before, but to date, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro remains Apple's biggest tablet.

Kuo is often accurate about the direction that Apple is moving with its designs, usually by tracking the behavior of the company's overseas suppliers. But his timing predictions can be off by a product generation or two, as Apple changes its mind about new products based on supply chain or manufacturing concerns. Ross Young, another analyst who tracks Apple's display tech, said he was aware of "multiple" planned iPads with new OLED displays in 2024 but not a foldable model. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says the same.

Channel Ars Technica