Apple may be gearing up to unveil its most ambitious MacBook yet featuring a huge foldable display.
The all-screen, foldable MacBook could also be Apple's most expensive to date, but it will come with some seriously impressive hardware. Of course, every MacBook folds, but this one would have a much bigger display than its predecessors and it would also be touchscreen.
Apple has yet to officially announce the all-screen foldable MacBook or "MacBook Fold," but there are already rumors circulating about it. Here's a look at everything we know so far.
All-screen foldable MacBook: Design
The design is the most striking feature of the rumored foldable MacBook. According to reliable industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, "Apple aims to make the panel as crease-free as possible, requiring high design specifications for both the panel and the hinge."
The foldable display will not only be OLED but also touchscreen, two long-awaited display technologies that haven't made it to the MacBook yet. The iPad Pro M4 includes an OLED display, so we can expect similar display quality on the foldable MacBook.
The interior of the "MacBook Fold" will be all-screen, meaning it may have no physical keyboard and mouse at all. According to Kuo, there will be two sizes: 20.25-inch and 18.8-inch, which will be similar to 15-inch and 13-inch MacBooks when folded.
There haven't been many rumors yet about the exterior chassis design, but it will need to include a different type of hinge than a traditional MacBook, which will influence the design. When folded out flat, the MacBook Fold could also resemble an oversized iPad.
If Apple does completely remove the physical keyboard and mouse, I'd love to see haptics featured in the touch display. It would go a long way toward improving the usual touchscreen typing experience. It would also be cool for the MacBook Fold to be compatible with the Apple Pencil, although whether Apple would do that depends on its long-term plans for the iPad.
All-screen foldable MacBook: Specs
The MacBook Fold will likely run an M5 series chip, based on the rumored late-2025 or early-2026 production window. The first all-screen foldable MacBook will be a premium device, so we can expect Apple to ship it with premium hardware, such an M5 Pro or M5 Ultra chip and plenty of storage. The foldable display will be OLED and come in two sizes: 20.25-inch and 18.8-inch. The MacBook Fold will also likely include a powerful battery due to its all-screen design.
All-screen foldable MacBook: Release date
If you're excited about the all-screen foldable MacBook, you may have a bit of a wait ahead of you. Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported in May that the MacBook Fold will go into production in late 2025, which means you may not be able to buy it until 2026. We could see an announcement from Apple in late 2025, though, as well as pre-orders.
You might want to keep an eye out for that pre-order window, too. Kuo noted that "due to the more defined product positioning of the foldable MacBook, the shipments are expected to be significantly higher than those of the Vision Pro."
If Apple expects to sell upwards of 1 million of the MacBook Fold, there will likely be a dedicated special event for the announcement near the end of 2025. Apple usually holds a virtual event in October, such as the "Scary Fast" event to announce the M3 chips in October 2023. So, we could see it host an event for the foldable MacBook around the same time. That Q4 2025 timeframe is well-positioned for holiday season pre-orders, too.
All-screen foldable MacBook: Price
As one might imagine, the all-screen foldable MacBook won't be cheap. It will be one of the most expensive MacBooks to date. This is largely due to the high costs associated with the special hinge and foldable display, particularly with the additional expense Apple is investing to achieve a crease-free design.
The price is expected to be similar to the Vision Pro, which starts at $3499. That could be a tough sell for many people, but future versions of the all-screen foldable MacBook could get less expensive as Apple refines its design and supply chain.
Outlook
The "MacBook Fold" could be one of Apple's most unique and ambitious products to date. It would bring some long-awaited technologies to the Mac, including touchscreens and OLED. However, it could also have major implications for the future of Apple's entire product line-up.
After all, what would be the difference between an all-screen foldable MacBook and an iPad? Will Apple redesign aspects of macOS for touch controls? If so, why not finally bring macOS to the iPad? Will the foldable MacBook be compatible with the Apple Pencil, too?
We'll have to wait to find the answers to those questions. After all, we're still waiting on the M4 Mac line-up, which will be released before the foldable MacBook. We'll be covering all the latest updates on Apple's upcoming Macs, including the innovative all-screen foldable MacBook, so stay tuned for more news and details.
More from Laptop Mag
- Apple is gearing up for M4 Mac launch — here’s a look at the release window and all the new chips
- Is the new iPad Pro M4 good enough to replace your laptop?
- PC makers should stop worrying about a “MacBook Killer” and focus on 1 far more important idea
