4 ms·

Foldable iPad in 'Intensive Development,' Announced as Soon as Next Year

22 points by mgh2 3y ago

brundolf 3y ago
I can't wait for a foldable iPhone, I think it's the kind of tech that Apple is going to knock out of the park. It's currently at just the right level of established-but-not-yet-perfected, and software/UX/ecosystem is one of the main hurdles other companies are still wrestling with But I don't really see the appeal of a foldable iPad. I can't imagine a situation where I'd want my iPad to be half or double its current size
- voltaireodactyl 3y ago
  It’d be ideal for traveling and would also allow them to make something with a bit more of a book form factor.
- justinclift 3y ago
  > I can't imagine a situation where I'd want my iPad to be half or double its current size A temporary smaller size would be useful while transporting it. Easier to throw in a purse, bag, case, (etc) while it's not in use.
- t-writescode 3y ago
  Wouldn’t a foldable iPhone become an iPad mini, probably? Isn’t that exactly a usecase?
- 0x38B 3y ago
  More than a foldable iPad, I'd use an e-ink reader that unfolded to a full 8.5" x 11" size. Folded, it'd be pocketable, and unfolded, large enough to read PDFs.
pohl 3y ago
I must be getting old, because this is the second major hardware that has zero appeal to me. Why would I want to fold my display? And, before that: why would I not want to use something that conducts electricity to charge my device?
- mindvirus 3y ago
  I wish I just had one device. Imagine a phone that unfolds to a laptop, and then can plug in to a keyboard and display and become a reasonable computer/laptop. Samsung is sort of there with the Fold and Dex, but Apple could really nail it.
  - guenthert 3y ago
    Palm Foleo? There were multiple iterations from different companies (among them Motorola). Perhaps Apple could get it right, but then, Apple happily sells you multiple devices.
- ncr100 3y ago
  You would want to have access to a larger display, to show larger images to your older eyes. Unless your euphamism 'must be getting old' is not actually meaning you're old / have eye strain. I'm aging, and my eyes are starting to get bleh, and having a 6.2" screen on a folding phone which can fold down to a 3.1" and easily be carried around. I am pleasantly surprised it's a handy thing. The negative question .. "would you not want" ... tell me more about that? I don't understand the question.
- fomine3 3y ago
  Mini tablet fits on my pocket and it combines a phone, that's all. It's so great for me but perhaps not for everyone.
andrewmcwatters 3y ago
I think the form factor Microsoft created with the notebook-style foldable dual screen tablet was really cool. Just do that for the iPad.
sand500 3y ago
> DigiTimes believes the foldable could boost iPad shipments, sparking an uptick in otherwise shrinking global tablet sales. I'm guessing everyone who wants a tablet already has one and device upgrades are only every few years.
fomine3 3y ago
Apple separated iOS and iPadOS. I wonder how they deal for Foldable "phone" (or say mini tablet) situation.
- filoleg 3y ago
  I use both iOS and iPadOS, and from my experience, it feels like iPadOS is just a superset of iOS features. Thinking about things like multi-window controls, pencil support, etc. The only thing I can think of that iOS has that iPadOS doesn’t is the phone app (but i use the non-cellular version of iPad, so that might be a null point too). I might be wrong, so please someone correct me on this if that’s the case. With this in mind, I can imagine them just sort of “downgrading” this foldable iPad to iOS mode when folded, and “expanding” to iPadOS feature superset mode when unfolded. Makes perfect sense on a UX level to me. That, however, would involve essentially merging the two OSs (as literally switching between two different OSs, even if it was a smooth switch happening instantly, feels like an extremely janky and awful solution), and I am not sure how feasible it is on a technical level at this point.
gridlocdev 3y ago
This is a very confusing move if true, for a few reasons: - A folded iPad wouldn’t necessarily be easily pocket-able for most people. - I regularly see iPads being used for gaming and media consumption, neither of which really benefits from a folding screen that gets smaller than its regular size. - The ergonomics of touch controls with apps in a side-by-side multi-tasking view is already difficult enough on existing folding phones, and would likely be very uncomfortable on an even larger device.
isitmadeofglass 3y ago
[dead]
e-clinton 3y ago
A foldable iPad makes a lot of sense. Give me something I can fold into my back pocket… the mini is slightly too big to fit comfortably. Foldable phones look cool but don’t particularly care for the extra thickness.

22 points by mgh2 3y ago

I can't wait for a foldable iPhone, I think it's the kind of tech that Apple is going to knock out of the park. It's currently at just the right level of established-but-not-yet-perfected, and software/UX/ecosystem is one of the main hurdles other companies are still wrestling with But I don't really see the appeal of a foldable iPad. I can't imagine a situation where I'd want my iPad to be half or double its current size

voltaireodactyl 3y ago
It’d be ideal for traveling and would also allow them to make something with a bit more of a book form factor.
justinclift 3y ago
> I can't imagine a situation where I'd want my iPad to be half or double its current size A temporary smaller size would be useful while transporting it. Easier to throw in a purse, bag, case, (etc) while it's not in use.
t-writescode 3y ago
Wouldn’t a foldable iPhone become an iPad mini, probably? Isn’t that exactly a usecase?
0x38B 3y ago
More than a foldable iPad, I'd use an e-ink reader that unfolded to a full 8.5" x 11" size. Folded, it'd be pocketable, and unfolded, large enough to read PDFs.

pohl 3y ago

I must be getting old, because this is the second major hardware that has zero appeal to me. Why would I want to fold my display? And, before that: why would I not want to use something that conducts electricity to charge my device?

mindvirus 3y ago
I wish I just had one device. Imagine a phone that unfolds to a laptop, and then can plug in to a keyboard and display and become a reasonable computer/laptop. Samsung is sort of there with the Fold and Dex, but Apple could really nail it.
- guenthert 3y ago
  Palm Foleo? There were multiple iterations from different companies (among them Motorola). Perhaps Apple could get it right, but then, Apple happily sells you multiple devices.
ncr100 3y ago
You would want to have access to a larger display, to show larger images to your older eyes. Unless your euphamism 'must be getting old' is not actually meaning you're old / have eye strain. I'm aging, and my eyes are starting to get bleh, and having a 6.2" screen on a folding phone which can fold down to a 3.1" and easily be carried around. I am pleasantly surprised it's a handy thing. The negative question .. "would you not want" ... tell me more about that? I don't understand the question.
fomine3 3y ago
Mini tablet fits on my pocket and it combines a phone, that's all. It's so great for me but perhaps not for everyone.

andrewmcwatters 3y ago

I think the form factor Microsoft created with the notebook-style foldable dual screen tablet was really cool. Just do that for the iPad.

sand500 3y ago

> DigiTimes believes the foldable could boost iPad shipments, sparking an uptick in otherwise shrinking global tablet sales. I'm guessing everyone who wants a tablet already has one and device upgrades are only every few years.

fomine3 3y ago

Apple separated iOS and iPadOS. I wonder how they deal for Foldable "phone" (or say mini tablet) situation.

filoleg 3y ago
I use both iOS and iPadOS, and from my experience, it feels like iPadOS is just a superset of iOS features. Thinking about things like multi-window controls, pencil support, etc. The only thing I can think of that iOS has that iPadOS doesn’t is the phone app (but i use the non-cellular version of iPad, so that might be a null point too). I might be wrong, so please someone correct me on this if that’s the case. With this in mind, I can imagine them just sort of “downgrading” this foldable iPad to iOS mode when folded, and “expanding” to iPadOS feature superset mode when unfolded. Makes perfect sense on a UX level to me. That, however, would involve essentially merging the two OSs (as literally switching between two different OSs, even if it was a smooth switch happening instantly, feels like an extremely janky and awful solution), and I am not sure how feasible it is on a technical level at this point.

gridlocdev 3y ago

This is a very confusing move if true, for a few reasons: - A folded iPad wouldn’t necessarily be easily pocket-able for most people. - I regularly see iPads being used for gaming and media consumption, neither of which really benefits from a folding screen that gets smaller than its regular size. - The ergonomics of touch controls with apps in a side-by-side multi-tasking view is already difficult enough on existing folding phones, and would likely be very uncomfortable on an even larger device.

isitmadeofglass 3y ago

[dead]

e-clinton 3y ago

A foldable iPad makes a lot of sense. Give me something I can fold into my back pocket… the mini is slightly too big to fit comfortably. Foldable phones look cool but don’t particularly care for the extra thickness.