Apple is stepping up its efforts to launch a MacBook-style device with foldable panels. After previous reports of a foldable MacBook with a 20.25-inch display, the company is now working on an 18.8-inch option that could enter production at the end of 2025, reports esteemed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In a new post on Medium today, Kuo outlines additional information on what to expect from a MacBook with a foldable display. Previous rumors reported that the device would come with a 20.25-inch foldable panel, but Kuo now claims that an 18.8-inch size is also in development. It’s unclear whether Apple would release both display sizes concurrently. However, Kuo claims that both reported sizes correspond to the size of 13-inch and 15-inch laptops with conventional flat displays, meaning that Apple could be readying a foldable MacBook lineup rather than a single device.
While previous rumors pegged the foldable MacBook to launch in 2027, Kuo now claims that Apple is pursuing a more aggressive timeline, with mass production for the foldable panel reportedly beginning between the last quarter of 2025 and the first half of 2026. LG Display is set to be the exclusive supplier for the MacBook’s foldable display, and the device is expected to be powered by a future M5 chip. Amphenol will be the exclusive display hinge supplier.
One of the design goals Apple is pursuing with the foldable MacBook is to eliminate the folding display’s crease as much as possible. Due to this, the production cost of the panel and its hinge are significantly expensive, with both reportedly costing Apple as much as $900 combined. The company hopes to reduce this cost as much as possible as production is refined before the device’s launch. Nevertheless, the foldable MacBook’s price is expected to rival the $3,500 tag of Vision Pro as both products could end up with similar bill-of-material (BOM) costs.
Despite the expected high price, Kuo predicts that Apple could ship more than one million units of the foldable MacBook in 2026, a decent chunk of total annual Mac shipments.
