Anybody waiting on a foldable MacBook might like to turn away.
“Mass production delayed significantly.”
This is how analyst Ming-Chi Kuo described the current situation facing Apple and its foldable MacBook.
In an X post, Kuo – who has been closely observing the foldable – told his 170,000 followers that according to his latest market survey the foldable was being pushed back from a possible 2026 launch to 2027 or 2028.
He said “mass production delayed significantly”, but confirmed a “final display size spec at 18.8 inches”.
The 20.25-inch design he had predicted earlier this year had been cancelled, he said, “and due to technical challenges with the display and mechanical, the assembly mass production schedule has been pushed back from 1H26 to the end of 2027 or 2028”.
In a Medium post in May Kuo stated that LGD was the exclusive panel supplier.
“Crease-free panel as a design goal, resulting in very high panel and hinge costs: Apple aims to make the panel as crease-free as possible, requiring high design specifications for both the panel and the hinge.”
He said “current preliminary estimates” put the panel cost at US$600-650 (A$883-$957) and the Amphenol hinge cost at US$200-$250 (A$294-$368).
“A high level of integration between the panel and hinge is required to address the crease issue. If production yields improve significantly by the time of mass production, these costs could decrease.”
Still, “the foldable MacBook is likely to be expensive”, Kuo said. “Unless Apple can significantly improve yields and reduce costs before mass production, the BOM cost of the foldable MacBook could approach that of the current Vision Pro”.
