Oliver Haslam·

Apple Working On Foldable iPad With 5G Connectivity, Says New Report

2019 hasn’t been a great year for foldable phones but Apple is planning on trying its hand at making a foldable tablet, according to a new report by IHS Markit.

Both Samsung and Huawei have had to delay their folding phones due to display-related issues, but that isn’t going to stop Apple from joining the fray. The difference here is that the foldable iPad will be a tablet, although it isn’t yet clear just how the display’s folding mechanism will function.

Foldable Mac/iPad concept by Luna Display

The thought of an iPad mini unfolding to create something the size of an iPad Pro is definitely compelling and if Apple can pull it off, we’d be very interested to see it. Choosing between iPad sizes isn’t always an easy prospect, so having both in one chassis is the kind of thing we’re definitely down for.

A foldable aspect isn’t all the new tablet will have up its sleeve, according to the report. IHS Markit also believes that the new device will include new 5G radios for use with super fast cellular data connections. Details are sketchy however, and with a 5G iPhone not likely to arrive until 2020 at the earliest, it’s unlikely we will see this tablet before then.

We’re pleased to see Apple taking the stance that a foldable iPad is the way to go, rather than making an iPhone fold out into a tablet. While the competition seems keen to make a phone that can be opened up to be turned into something larger, having a portable iPad that could be turned into something akin to a notebook replacement is super interesting.

Of course, none of this is guaranteed to happen and we’ll have to wait and see whether there’s any fire with this smoke.

(Via: Economic Daily News [Google Translate])

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