Foldable smartphones are no longer just a concept. It looks like Apple could also enter the foldable device space, but not with an iPhone but with a foldable iPad. CCS Insight analysts believe that Apple could launch an iPad with a folding screen as early as 2024.

Speaking to CNBC, Ben Wood, head of research at CCS Insight, said:

“It doesn’t make sense for Apple to create a foldable iPhone right now. We think they’re going to move away from this trend and possibly dip their toes in with a foldable iPad. A foldable iPhone would be extremely risky for Apple. It has to be expensive.”

Samsung is following a similar pricing pattern where its foldable smartphones cost much more than flat-screen flagship smartphones. However, with the launch of the Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Flip series, Samsung continues to improve its folding technology. The South Korean company currently dominates both the tech and consumer markets for foldable devices.

The analyst said that if Apple goes ahead and makes a foldable iPhone, it will likely be priced around $2,500. The most expensive iPhone 14 Max Pro with 1TB of memory now costs $1,599. Wood added that Apple will have the chance to “breathe new life” into the iPad lineup, as well as implement and expand its folding screen technology.

Earlier, a report by Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) said that Apple is likely to enter the foldable smartphone market in 2025. The report says that Apple is in no rush to enter the sophisticated smartphone market and that the company is quite optimistic about sophisticated technology.

Apple may also be working on a foldable laptop that could become a new product category in its own right. Well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also said that Apple is testing electronic screen paper (EPD) for future foldable displays and tablets. He predicted that EPD could potentially be a mainstream solution for complex devices due to its superior energy efficiency.