Ming-Chi Kuo, a supply chain analyst who is familiar with Apple’s suppliers claims that he’s seeing evidence about the possibility of a foldable MacBook. According to Kuo, this future MacBook might see a release as early as 2026, which is sooner than the originally speculated release of sometime in 2027.
Apple seems to be working on two different panel sizes. The larger or the two is 20.25”, while the smaller version would be 18.8”. For now, it’s uncertain if Apple will be offering two different sizes, or if it’s just conducting testing to decide which size to go to market with. Kuo says that “the difference between these two sizes is their folded form factor, corresponding to the design of 14–15″ and 13–14″ laptops, respectively.”
In classic Apple fashion, one of the design aspects the company is most focused on is having a panel that shows as little creases as possible. According to Kuo these efforts are “requiring high design specifications for both the panel and the hinge.” Cost estimates for the panel and hinge alone are roughly $800-850, with Kuo mentioning that Apple might be able to reduce the cost with better production yields.
Unfortunately, not much is known about the hardware that will make its way into the foldable MacBook. It is assumed that a future M5 chip will most likely be used by Apple, which does seem like a reasonable assumption considering the M4 chip was just released. Of course, if the timeline on the release is pushed back then a future SoC may be used.
Regardless of release date, Apple fans eager for a foldable MacBook will likely have to pay up. Kuo believes that the device will be priced in line with the Apple Vision Pro, which is currently $3.499.
Are you excited about seeing a foldable MacBook? Let us know in the comments below.