Apple's Planned Foldable iPad With 18-inch Screen Hits Development Snags (msn.com) 29
Apple's effort to reinvent the iPad by adding a giant foldable screen has hit development hurdles, potentially delaying the planned launch. Bloomberg: The company has been working on the device -- projected to cost around $3,000 -- for several years and had most recently aimed for a 2028 release. But engineering challenges tied to weight, features and display technology have pushed its potential debut to 2029 or later, according to people familiar with the matter.
Apple is working with Samsung Display Co. to develop the roughly 18-inch panel for the device, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the work isn't public. The screen minimizes the crease seen on foldable displays, matching an approach that Apple is also using with its upcoming foldable iPhone. The iPad project is part of a broader push to bring more innovative devices to market. Apple just introduced its first new iPhone design in years -- the ultrathin $999 Air model -- and is working on everything from smart glasses to a tabletop robot device.
Apple is working with Samsung Display Co. to develop the roughly 18-inch panel for the device, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the work isn't public. The screen minimizes the crease seen on foldable displays, matching an approach that Apple is also using with its upcoming foldable iPhone. The iPad project is part of a broader push to bring more innovative devices to market. Apple just introduced its first new iPhone design in years -- the ultrathin $999 Air model -- and is working on everything from smart glasses to a tabletop robot device.
Who would need that? (Score:2)
Hospitals and warehouses, who'd never ever fold it?
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Indeed, I use an iPad mini as 'phone' since nowadays you can call and phone with Whatsapp etc.
You know what would solve this? (Score:4, Interesting)
You know what would solve this? Make it like a book. A 10 x 8 secreen on each side. Fold it over all the way to use one only. Open like a book to see both screens at once, like a book.
That would be just the thing for music. And for reading. And it wouldn't put the screen at risk because you'd have a hinge down the middle, a proper 1/4 inch fat hinge, like what Motorola Razr had.
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You know what would solve this? Make it like a book. A 10 x 8 secreen on each side. Fold it over all the way to use one only. Open like a book to see both screens at once, like a book.
That would be just the thing for music. And for reading. And it wouldn't put the screen at risk because you'd have a hinge down the middle, a proper 1/4 inch fat hinge, like what Motorola Razr had.
I've long imagined the "foldable" screen device being two screens that fold away from one another, and meet in the middle. The only problem would be having a the edges be part of the screen, without bezels either around, or under the glass. That'd be the trick that's probably difficult to manage without making the edges easily breakable when the screens are folded away from one another. Unless there's some flip-out dohickey that slaps up along the edge of the screen for protection, but that seems over-engin
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You know what would solve this? Make it like a book. A 10 x 8 secreen on each side. Fold it over all the way to use one only. Open like a book to see both screens at once, like a book.
That would be just the thing for music. And for reading. And it wouldn't put the screen at risk because you'd have a hinge down the middle, a proper 1/4 inch fat hinge, like what Motorola Razr had.
So... a very large Microsoft Surface Duo, only not a phone. Yes, please. Only go ahead and make it 8.5" x 11". Bonus if it runs Android.
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There were rumours that Microsoft had a larger Surface Duo in the works, as a Windows tablet.
But Microsoft had decided to kill the small Windows tablet form factor outright, not making Windows available to other brands to pre-install on their devices either. They also discontinued their useful tablet apps, such as their PDF reader and Maps by having them update to apps that did nothing. (which was a really shitty move)
The two Duo models they did release were considered a flop, because they were Android phon
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There were rumours that Microsoft had a larger Surface Duo in the works, as a Windows tablet. But Microsoft had decided to kill the small Windows tablet form factor outright, not making Windows available to other brands to pre-install on their devices either. They also discontinued their useful tablet apps, such as their PDF reader and Maps by having them update to apps that did nothing. (which was a really shitty move)
The two Duo models they did release were considered a flop, because they were Android phones. They were too wide and uncomfortable to hold folded as a phone, and many Android apps did not fit the form factor. The cameras were also really thin and the quality suffered.
BTW. Long before the Surface Duo., Microsoft Research had their Courier [youtube.com] concept with a concept OS, which had been developed out from a prototype called Codex [youtube.com]. These showed how great the format could be if apps would have been designed to take advantage of the form factor and not crammed into being a phone.
Just for the record, Microsoft had one happy Duo user: me.
The camera was absolutely a potato but I didn't care because I didn't need to take pictures at the time. Then I got some kittens... and a proper camera. But otherwise I encountered zero of the usual complaints. Apps worked and fit just fine. Width was actually nice, and when it stopped getting Android updates - hahahaha, it almost never did - I moved to a Pixel Fold, which is also nice and wide.
But yeah, if only.
My work laptop is a Lenovo X
When you fold these devices (Score:3)
an 18 inch iPad? who asked for one? (Score:2)
an 18 inch iPad?
Was there any person out there that wanted a tablet that is 18 inches? If you know who, can you go beat them with a rubber hose.
The weight will be insane, there is no avoiding it... it's just a matter how terrible it will be, not a question of IF.
The bulkiness will also make it useless as a tablet. Too cumbersome holding it.
Aside from a few niche areas, this will struggle to find a problem, where it is an optimal solution. Other than sucking money from fan boy wallets.
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think their surface tablets maxed out at 13... but they did a white board/touchscreen style one that maxed out at 85 inches.... To me, it feels like they should let the small shops cater to that niche market, and they can provide easily adaptable tech (i.e software that will work with a touchscreen easily) for those shops to build devices and use msft tech... there was no shortage already of specialized manufacturers creating these super specialized devices, and there was never going to be enough of a marke
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This article makes me tempted to take out a short position in Apple stock.
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Was there any person out there that wanted a tablet that is 18 inches?
*Raises hand*
I actually want one that is 20-1/4", the same size as a sheet of tabloid sized paper, but I'd settle for one about 14", the size of a sheet of letter sized paper. In an ideal world, it'd have an e-ink display.
If you know who, can you go beat them with a rubber hose.
Fuck you, too, I guess?
The weight will be insane, there is no avoiding it... it's just a matter how terrible it will be, not a question of IF.
A portable 18" LCD monitor weighs about 2-1/2 pounds, and I'm sure you could take some of the weight out of that. Fitting a hypothetical 18" ipad into a roughly ~3lbs envelope seems reasonable.
Aside from a few niche areas, this will struggle to find a problem, where it is an optimal solution.
Niche at first, but I think engineering and manufacturing would eat them
My plans (Score:1)
for an 18 inch penis also had "development snags" :(
Apple, obsolete your own products (Score:2)
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I've read speculation that the reason the iPhone Air exists is because they're figuring out how to make thin pieces for the eventual foldable.
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Huawei’s newest phone has three screens that unfold into a tablet, the OS does everything a desktop OS does, and it has AI integrated throughout. But we can’t have them in the USA because our government shut Huawei out of the market to protect the jobs of Apple’s loser designers and engineers who can’t innovate anymore.
Oh my god more technology (Score:2)
I'm coming so hard in my pants I can't stop! It's like a rope of happiness!
Can you make it 19"???
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Trade show gear? (Score:2)
Popup shop display?
Hot dog stand display?
Portable large second screen for Mac?
I do see a bunch of applications. But they are all niche and $3000 is a huge amount of money for a screen that is both too big and too small. 18" has always been a crap screen size.
Also, as a Wacom 27" owner, touch at that size is just annoying
Yes and no? (Score:2)
On the one hand, the idea of an iPad with two large-ish screens sounds tempting. Lots of people I know use 12.9-inch iPad Pro displays for reading music, but it is challenging if you can only see one page at a time. It's a lot better if you can show two.
On the other hand, 18 inches arguably isn't *quite* big enough. Two iPad Pros would be a little over 20 inches, and those are really on the small side.
And knowing Apple, it would be a $3500 tablet. Meanwhile, I'm doing it with a 24-inch wall-mount Andro
Huawei already made one (Score:2)
The Huawei MateBook Fold Ultimate Design seems to be the same...I've used one in a Huawei store and they're very impressive.
Sorry, BUT WHY ???? (Score:2)
exciting! (Score:3)
Nevermind, I misread the title. I thought it said AFFORDABLE.