At the moment, you can't move for foldable phone releases. Everywhere you turn, another new device from another brand appears, with a slightly different spec sheet or unique feature to the last one.
A few months ago, we saw the Google Pixel Fold. More recently, we saw Samsung launch the Z Fold 5 and the Z Flip 5 handsets. And before long, we'll see the Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 launch, too.
One brand who are notably absent from the space is Apple. The Cupertino-based company have yet to foray into the space publicly, though multiple reports have suggested that they are working on projects behind the scenes.
Most recently, a report from DigiTimes has brought news of a foldable iPad back to the fore. We first heard about that back in January, with the news coming from respected analyst and tech tipster Ming-Chi Kuo. That initial report suggested the device could hit the market as early as 2024.
These renewed claims suggest that a folding iPad is in the works, along with a suite of foldable iPhone models. And it's a prospect that has me really excited.
I'm a massive fan of foldable phones. In fact, I've always generally had a love for slightly quirky tech. But I've yet to dive into a foldable phone on a personal level because, really, I haven't yet found a reason to.
A foldable iPad would be different. In fact, I think the tablet size could be perfect for foldable technology to really shine. Imagine a device that is around the size of the iPad Mini when folded, but expands out to be bigger than a 15-inch MacBook Air screen.
That could offer a really fantastic hybrid, where users can enjoy the practical benefits of a small device for carrying around day-to-day, but still use the larger display when needed. If Apple do come to market with a device like this, I hope that's the design ethos they take.
If they do, I genuinely think I'll be queueing up for one at launch. The practicality of having two markedly different screen sizes in one device would make the iPad so much more useful.
For now though, there's no concrete indication that it's coming anytime soon. Until we hear any more substantial rumours, we'll just have to keep our collective fingers crossed.
