[Gearbest Technology]For a long time, technology enthusiasts have placed high expectations on Apple’s first folding screen product, and have speculated in which product line this product will appear. Although many people firmly believe that Apple will eventually launch a folding screen product, the specific time and product form have always been a mystery.
There have been rumors before that Apple may launch a foldable iPhone as early as 2026, but this news has never been confirmed by official or reliable channels. Given the technological maturity and huge user base of foldable screen phones on the market, the possibility of a foldable iPhone as the first product seems very high.
However, Apple seems to have chosen a different path. According to industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple’s first foldable screen product is not a mobile phone, but a MacBook. What is even more exciting is that the screen of this foldable MacBook will be exclusively supplied by LG, and mass production is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025, and may be officially released in the first quarter of 2026. This news undoubtedly adds new suspense and highlights to Apple’s folding screen strategy.
Next, Gearbestwill take everyone to deeply explore the five key features of this foldable MacBook.
design
The new MacBook will adopt a completely different design from the traditional MacBook. This computer is equipped with a large screen that can be folded in all directions, abandoning the traditional design of separating the keyboard and the display. When the screen is unfolded, users can use it as an efficient monitor with an external keyboard, mouse or trackpad; once folded, it can be transformed into a lightweight and easy-to-carry notebook. It is worth noting that the new MacBook is not expected to be equipped with a physical keyboard, but will use an advanced virtual keyboard technology with tactile feedback to provide users with an almost real typing experience.
However, touch input may not be the most ideal choice when working with text for long periods of time. Imagine if you needed to use your mobile phone to type out a thousand-word article. I’m afraid most people would find this a rather daunting task. Voice input may seem like a viable alternative, but it can be less effective in environments such as outdoors, in open offices, or in conference rooms.
Obviously, voice input has not yet become a highly universal operation method, and the traditional keyboard is still the most popular input tool. Therefore, when PC manufacturers such as Lenovo and Asus launch folding screen laptops, they provide users with an independent keyboard accessory. This accessory can be installed on the screen and seamlessly connected to the computer through the magnetic contacts on the screen frame, allowing foldable screen laptops to have an input experience similar to traditional laptops.
size
According to predictions by industry-renowned display research analyst Ross Young and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the foldable MacBook will be equipped with an approximately 18.8-inch display, which is far larger than any product in Apple’s current product line.
According to reports, Apple paid special attention to the crease problem of the screen when designing this foldable MacBook. We are committed to using advanced technology and materials to minimize creases when the screen is unfolded, thereby providing users with a smoother and seamless visual experience. This design not only ensures user comfort during use, but also further enhances the overall aesthetics of the product.
Compared with the 16-inch MacBook Pro currently on sale by Apple, this foldable MacBook has a larger display area, allowing users to have more screen space for work, entertainment and study.
It is worth mentioning that Apple once launched a 17-inch MacBook Pro in its history, but this product was discontinued in 2012. If this foldable MacBook can be successfully launched, it will once again refresh the MacBook size record and become an iconic product in Apple’s product line.
Screen
In the research and development of screen technology, Apple is working together with LG Display to develop a cutting-edge foldable OLED panel. This panel not only continues the excellent color performance and high contrast ratio of OLED technology, but also optimizes the folding mechanism to ensure that it can maintain a high degree of durability and stability during frequent folding and unfolding.
In addition to OLED technology, Apple has also actively explored the potential of electronic paper display (EPD) technology. EPD technology, with its unique reflective ambient light characteristics, can provide a clear and comfortable reading experience even in outdoor strong light environments. Therefore, there are rumors that Apple may apply EPD technology to the external screen or dual-screen design of this foldable MacBook.
Compared with traditional display technology, each pixel in the OLED screen can emit light independently. This feature not only makes the OLED screen better in display effect, but also eliminates the dependence on the backlight system, thereby achieving a thinner screen design. This design advantage allows the MacBook to have a thinner and lighter body while maintaining high performance.
Given the larger screen size of this foldable MacBook, Apple is expected to equip it with a 5K or higher resolution display. The high-resolution display will bring users a more detailed and clear image and video experience.
M series chips
If the rumors are true and Apple does plan to have LG Display begin mass production of folding MacBooks in the fourth quarter of 2025, then we have reason to speculate that this revolutionary product may be officially launched in late 2025 or early 2026. This time point coincides with the release of Apple’s next-generation M5 chip, which is expected to be a strong successor to the M4 chip released in 2024.
Analyst Kuo’s forecast adds credibility to this speculation. He predicts that Apple will sell more than one million folding MacBooks in 2026.
Regarding the specific performance of the M5 chip, there is currently no precise official information. But based on industry trends and Apple’s consistent technological pursuits, we can foresee that the M5 chip will achieve new breakthroughs in manufacturing technology. It is rumored that this chip may be manufactured on the next-generation 3nm node or even the more advanced 2nm node. This means that the M5 chip will have higher integration, stronger performance and lower power consumption.
The reduction in node size is an important breakthrough in the field of semiconductor manufacturing. It means a reduction in transistor size, allowing more transistors to be integrated on the processor. This technological breakthrough will directly promote the improvement of chip performance and energy efficiency.
price
Given the high-cost components expected to be used in the folding MacBook, analysts generally predict it could be priced close to Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro headset. Considering the current 16-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,500, expect the larger foldable model to be more expensive.
It is reported that in order to meet users’ expectations for a crease-free screen, Apple has put forward strict requirements for the design of panels and hinges, which has also resulted in relatively high costs for panels and hinges. Preliminary estimates suggest the panel could cost between $600 and $650, while the hinges could cost between $200 and $250.
In addition, judging from the folding screen technology patents released by Apple, in addition to core components such as panels and hinges, Apple is apparently also exploring a series of innovative designs that may further increase manufacturing costs. Among them, the most eye-catching patent is a spring layer embedded between the folding screen and the motherboard. This unique design aims to significantly improve the product’s resistance to pressure and drop, providing users with a more reliable and stable experience. These additional design and technology investments will undoubtedly improve the overall performance of the product, but may also result in higher manufacturing costs.
Of course, as production technology matures and yields improve, these costs are expected to be further reduced in the future.
write at the end
Looking back on market history, as early as 2020, Lenovo released its first foldable screen laptop, ThinkPad X1 Fold, and subsequently Asus, LG and other manufacturers also launched similar products. However, these experimental products did not receive an enthusiastic response from the market. The high price, body weight, and internal design limitations result in the performance of these products being generally low and unable to meet the needs of moderate to heavy creative work. This also hints at the challenges that the foldable MacBook will face in terms of market competition and consumer expectations after it goes on the market.
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