Rumor mill: Whispers about foldable iPhones, iPads, and laptops have been swirling for years, but don't write off Apple's foldable ambitions just yet. The tech titan is famous for holding out until new technologies are fully cooked before diving in. If these 20-inch foldable MacBook rumors are legit, it means Apple thinks the foldable laptop tech is finally ready for primetime.

(Pictured above: LG's Gram Fold with its 17-inch foldable OLED panel)

The foldable future is unfolding for Apple, with reports indicating the tech titan is working on a laptop with a massive 20-inch foldable display. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, this unique MacBook is expected to enter mass production in 2027.

In a recent post on X, Kuo revealed that the "20.3-inch MacBook" is Apple's "only foldable product with a clear development schedule." While details are scarce, this statement suggests that foldable iPhones and iPads may still be a distant dream for Apple fans.

Display expert Ross Young previously pointed to Apple working on a 20.5-inch foldable notebook in a post on X, differing slightly from Kuo's 20.3-inch claim. That's only a minor discrepancy though, so we'd attribute it to a change in specifications since Young's post is from early last year.

The big question is what exactly this folding behemoth would look like and how it would function. Most foldable laptops today, like LG's Gram Fold or HP's Spectre Foldable, can morph between a tablet mode and a more traditional clamshell design with an attachable keyboard. Perhaps Apple's take would offer a full on-screen keyboard when folded and ditch physical keys entirely?

Regardless of the form factor, a 20-inch foldable would unquestionably be Apple's largest laptop display to date. Currently, Apple's largest laptop offering is the 16-inch MacBook Pro, while the company discontinued the 17-inch model back in 2012.

While exciting from a sheer screen real estate perspective, foldable devices definitely have their trade-offs in terms of durability, crease visibility, and overall design polish. Apple has a reputation for holding off on new technologies until they're properly matured, likely why Kuo believes foldable iPhones and iPads are further out.

Still, foldables are undoubtedly the future, and Apple can't afford to be left behind as Samsung, Motorola, LG, and others keep innovating. A 2027 foldable MacBook launch would give Apple plenty of time to further refine and bulletproof the technology before going massive with its debut.