“In this era where technology changes faster than turning a page, we once thought the iPad was the “chosen one” for mobile productivity and entertainment. However, according to the latest report from BGR, Apple seems to be personally ending the glorious era of this biological offspring. With frequent news about the “foldable iPhone” (iPhone Fold) and “touchscreen MacBook,” we cannot help but ask: in the near future, will we really still need an iPad?
📱 Foldable iPhone: Better Late Than Never, but Likely to Come Out on Top
Although Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series is about to enter its eighth generation and has long established a foothold in the foldable market, Apple has always adhered to the spirit of “preferring quality over quantity.” Despite being “late to the party” in terms of progress, the market is generally optimistic that Apple can launch a stunning foldable iPhone after solving screen crease and durability issues.Imagine, when the iPhone in your pocket unfolds, it can have a screen size comparable to an iPad mini; for consumers, this is simply “having your cake and eating it too.” For business people who seek portability and do not want to carry multiple devices, the emergence of a foldable iPhone is undoubtedly a heavy blow to the iPad. Since a phone can transform into a tablet, why spend extra money on a mid-range tablet that is “mediocre but hard to part with”?
💻 Touchscreen MacBook: Breaking a Decade-Old Taboo, Directly Addressing iPad Pro Pain Points
For years, Apple has always maintained a clear boundary of “Mac is Mac, iPad is iPad,” even once mocking touchscreen laptops as “toaster-refrigerator” hybrids. But times change, and with M-series chips making the performance boundary between iPad and Mac increasingly blurred, rumors of a touchscreen MacBook are already surfacing.Once the MacBook has a touchscreen and even supports the Apple Pencil, the iPad Pro—which originally boasted “Your next computer is not a computer”—will find itself in a very awkward position. In terms of productivity, the MacBook’s macOS is inherently more powerful than iPadOS; adding a touch experience would be “adding wings to a tiger.” For professional workers, if all operations can be completed on one laptop, the existence of an iPad Pro will seem somewhat “superfluous.”
🔍 Deep Observation: Is This a Strategic Adjustment of “Internal Conflict”?
Why is Apple willing to risk eroding the iPad market to push these two products? This is actually a classic “drastic measure” strategy. As the tablet market trends toward saturation, the growth momentum of the iPad is no longer what it used to be. Apple knows well that instead of waiting to be overtaken by competitors, it is better to proactively “reshuffle the deck” and redefine the mobile computing architecture.
- Product Line Simplification and Integration: In the future, there might only be phones (expandable) and computers (with touch and handwriting), slimming down the originally fragmented product portfolio.
- Deep Ecosystem Lock-in: No matter how devices transform, the underlying Apple services and App Store are the real cash cows.
💡 Conclusion: Will the iPad Really Vanish from Now On?
Although reports indicate that the necessity of the iPad has significantly decreased, the author believes the iPad will not “vanish into thin air” in the short term. In the education market or specific artistic creation fields, the iPad still has its irreplaceable portability and intuitiveness. However, for the general public, the iPad’s status is indeed regressing from a “lifestyle necessity” to a “non-essential accessory.”This tale of technological evolution tells us there are no eternal kings, only constantly evolving experiences. If the foldable iPhone and touchscreen MacBook truly join forces for a pincer attack, perhaps we should be ready to say “farewell for now” to our old friend the iPad in the near future. What do you think? If the iPhone could really fold, would you still want to buy an iPad? Feel free to share your views with us on social media!”
