Apple plans to merge the Mac and iPad into a revolutionary 19-inch foldable device, slated for release in 2028, according to Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman. This device aims to combine the versatility of a tablet with the power of a laptop, featuring a crease-free display that unfolds to the size of two iPad Pros side by side, blurring the lines between iPadOS and macOS to create a seamless, hybrid user experience.
Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
I expect future iPads and Macs to both have touch screens (with vibrant OLED displays), run the same apps and have similar user interfaces. The main difference will be the form factor. Touch will remain the primary input method for iPads, with keyboards and trackpads being secondary. With Macs, it will be the reverse. And of course, Macs will continue to have larger screens, better battery life and more processing power.
At the same time, we’ll also see some true convergence. Apple is planning to meld the two devices together for a roughly 19-inch touch-screen foldable product planned for 2028.
MacDailyNews Take: This sounds like a more elegant design than our over eight-year-old “MacPad” idea:
Here’s an idea: Apple could sell iPad Pros as they do now, and for those wanting a “Mac,” Apple could sell them the macOS-powered display-less keyboard/trackpad/cpu/RAM/SSD/battery base unit. Attach your iPad for the display and off you go, you Mac-headed truck driver! Plus, you get to use the iPad’s battery, too, extending battery life to provide a truly all-day battery for portable Mac users. Detach the display and you get your iOS-powered iPad back, same as always.
Too outside the box? We’d love to be able to take our iPad Pro, mate it with this theoretical Mac base unit, and turn it into a portable Mac. Right now, we carry iPad Pros and MacBooks in our backpacks. Guess what’s redundant? Right, the displays. We don’t need to carry two screens on the road. The iPad Pro’s screen would do just fine, thanks.
Buy the Mac base on its own (for those who already have 12.9-inch iPad Pros) or buy it as part of a package (get a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro at a nice discount when you buy it with the Mac base).
— MacDailyNews, January 7, 2017
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