Apple's Foldable iPad Pro With Under-Screen 3D Face ID In 2028
Previous rumors had Apple working on a foldable iPad Pro, and a new rumor today claims that one of the company's prototypes for the device features Face ID technology under the display.
According to leaker Digital Chat Station who posted on Weibo, one of Apple's foldable iPad Pro prototypes features an 18.8-inch foldable display with a "metal superstructure lens" that integrates the Face ID receiver and transmitter elements for facial recognition under the screen. Unfortunately, no other information was provided.
Under-display Face ID has been rumored for future iPhones for several years, but so far it has not materialized. Today's rumor is the first to mention under-display Face ID as part of Apple's plans for upcoming foldable devices.
According to analyst firm Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC), Apple plans to release an 18.8-inch foldable iPad Pro with an OLED display in 2027. Separately, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that LG plans to start mass production of display panels for a 21-inch foldable MacBook with a 2-inch or 8-inch display in the fourth quarter of 2025.
A December report from the Wall Street Journal also claimed that Apple is working on a larger foldable device that is "intended to serve as a laptop" and that would unfold to a size of about 19 inches.
Additionally, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also spoke about a foldable iPad in the works, estimating that the massive tablet will be released in 2028. According to Gurman, Apple doesn't want the upcoming foldable device to have a crease, but to appear as a single piece of screen.
Apple is also said to be working on a foldable book-style iPhone with a crease-free display that will be released late next year. Instead of featuring Face ID, the foldable iPhone is said to integrate Touch ID into a side button, similar to the recent iPad Air and iPad mini models, due to internal space constraints.
Earlier reports from a Chinese blog suggested that Gurman had hinted that the product could be powered by a version of iPad OS. He believes it won't be a full-fledged iPad-Mac hybrid but will incorporate features from both platforms. "By 2028, iPadOS should be enough to support macOS applications..."
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