Foldable 20-inch iPad-MacBook hybrid could rely on touchscreen keyboard

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Apple’s rumored 20-inch foldable device could be a hybrid MacBook Pro and iPad, one that may lose the physical keyboard in favor of a software-based version.

A rumor surfaced from an analyst on Monday, claiming Apple is exploring making a form of notebook or iPad with a large foldable 20-inch display that could arrive as early as 2025. A report on Sunday corroborated the rumor, making it seem more genuine as a potential future Apple release.

The claim of a device with a “foldable 20-inch screen” is mentioned by Mark Gurman’s “Power On” newsletter for Bloomberg as potentially having either type of keyboard. The screen could be “attached to a physical keyboard or just have one side of the display serving as a virtual keyboard,” Gurman writes.

A source has reportedly advised that Apple has explored a “dual-screen, foldable MacBook/iPad hybrid.” For the concept, Apple would take the approach to “trade in the physical keyboard and trackpad for a fully touch-screen base”

This seemingly tracks with statements made by DSCC analyst Ross Young, who offered the device would be a “true dual-use product” that could offer a “full-size keyboard when folded.” When flat and used as a large monitor, it could be “used with an external keyboard.”

The proposed product is thought to potentially run at a 4K resolution or higher, given its size. It could also launch by 2025, but is more likely to turn up in 2026 or 2027.