The website TheElec has reported that Apple and LG are collaborating on the development of a foldable OLED display panel for future versions of the iPad and MacBook.
According to the article in question, “the panel is being designed for tablets and notebooks with ultra-thin glass as the cover window instead of polyimide” – the latter the material typically used for foldable displays.
The report also said that LG Display would provide 17-inch foldable 4K OLED panels to HP during 2022. This would mark the second occasion on which the South Korean display panel manufacturer has supplied foldable notebook OLED panels, following a linkup with Lenovo for the ThinkPad X1 Fold in 2020.
The claim about a partnership between LG and Apple, though, is the latest reliable indicator from the Cupertino firm’s supply chain that it is developing large foldable devices. The first sign came from display analyst Ross Young, who said in February that Apple was exploring all-screen foldable MacBooks with displays about 20 inches in size.
Young has said that the launch date for a foldable notebook from Apple will be “likely later” than 2025, with 2026 or 2027 seen as reasonable bets. And it comes as no surprise that Apple has ventured into this kind of technology, particularly as a foldable iPad Pro seems extremely plausible in today’s climate.
