Apple is rumored to work on several foldable devices, including a massive 18.8-inch iPad Pro. The latest rumor by Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station (via MacRumors) is that this product will get a “metal superstructure lens” and feature under-display Face ID recognition.
While the leaker doesn’t mention when this foldable iPad Pro could launch, we’ve heard reports about this foldable iPad/Mac hybrid for a long time. However, let’s focus first on the under-display Face ID technology.
Apple has been working on this improvement for a while. Display analyst Ross Young is one of the most credible sources about this development. He first believed Apple would introduce the under-display Face ID technology by this year with the iPhone 17 release. However, he said last year that Apple postponed this technology for 2026 with the iPhone 18 Pro.
With that, it’s unlikely that Apple will introduce a foldable iPad Pro with under-display Face ID before the end of 2026 or prior to Apple’s iPhone 18 launch. This makes sense once you consider Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman’s suggestion that this foldable would be released in 2028, as Apple works tirelessly to create a display that won’t have a crease.
Analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Ross Young have already reported that Apple is planning to launch a foldable iPad in the near future, with displays around 18.8 inches or 20.2 inches. While the mass production of these panels could start by the end of the year, a release isn’t expected before 2027.
In addition to this, Apple is working on a Galaxy Z Fold-like product, which is expected to be released later next year. The iPhone Fold will feature a 7.8-inch internal display. This device will reportedly feature a crease-free panel, but analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests it will get Touch ID on a side button instead of Face ID technology. That said, it would be interesting if, only a year or so later, Apple is able to ditch the Touch ID technology for Face ID.
