Report says Apple is working on a 20.5-inch foldable MacBook Pro that might arrive in 2025

With more and more phone manufacturers adding foldables to their lineups, Apple continues to be conspicuous by its absence. However, South Korea's The Elec (via AppleInsider) reports that Samsung Display Managing Director Baek Seung-in made a presentation during the Korean Information Display Society's Society for Information Display (SID) review. During this talk, Seung-in discussed how the durability of foldable displays has been improving even though they are not nearly as durable as non-foldable screens.

Baek also mentioned how Samsung Display is working to make "foldable wrinkles less conspicuous" according to the translation. And that obviously is referring to the crease that is still something of an eyesore on foldable phones. He says that the industry has been working to eradicate the problem with creases for several years but they have not yet disappeared. He also said that there is interest in the industry in making devices that carry a 25-inch screen when unfolded and measure 13 inches when folded.

The report states that Apple is working on a foldable device with Samsung Display and LG Display and that Apple is waiting to receive certain patents related to this product. The report also notes that besides waiting for certain patents, Apple plans to hold off on releasing a foldable until the creases seen on current devices are removed in the manufacturing process. Once Apple releases a foldable device, more companies in the industry (suppliers and manufacturers) are expected to offer foldable panels and products.

Apple is reportedly working on a foldable MacBook Pro with a huge 20.5-inch foldable display. That device could arrive as soon as 2025 followed by a foldable iPhone. If Apple is indeed looking to build a device with a large mobile foldable screen, the ultra-thin glass (UTG) used on current, smaller foldables might not be as reliable or affordable as a solution. The polyimide (PI) film used on the first Galaxy Fold instead of the UTG used on subsequent models might be employed on such a device although transparent PI film has issues with visibility.

Apple has filed for and has received several patents related to foldable displays. One of these patents would protect the idea of creating a dual-screened Apple device. The bottom display would automatically become a virtual QWERTY keyboard in situations where text input is expected.

While not mentioned in the report, it seems likely that a foldable Mac or iPad might not use the same form factor as a Galaxy Z Fold and might open and close around a horizontal axis like a MacBook does today. A foldable iPhone might either use the clamshell design seen with the Galaxy Z Flip and close around the horizontal axis, or use the book-style form factor seen with the Galaxy Z Fold models which close around the vertical axis.