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All iPads Could this be main use case for foldable iPad?
- Thread starter veena3
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Seems like a big waste of a display, battery life, and packaging to show a static element. We know how people reacted to the Touch Bar. And people who hated butterfly keyboards because of the shallow travel will love this. 
Yeah, I don’t mean it should be the one and only use case. You could still use it fully open with twice as much bigger display but availability to “open it half” and using it as a laptop could be useful or?Seems like a big waste of a display, battery life, and packaging to show a static element. We know how people reacted to the Touch Bar. And people who hated butterfly keyboards because of the shallow travel will love this.
I get that and also foresee mechanical issues with such a device. The artist rendition looks great, but in reality, such a foldable iPad would have a weight distribution problem. Unlike a traditional clamshell notebook, the foldable iPad wouldn't be able to sit on a table without easily tipping over, which means a kickstand is needed. Personally, I hate kickstands and a haptic keyboard would be terrible with any prolonged use.
A keyboard that you can't feel is a worthless keyboard
This is a terrible idea that was tried in Windows in the past and failed misarably. Now there are much more refined ones, like those using a magnetic real keyboard on the bottom half. By the way this one may even be one of them with the magnetic keyboard removed.
And by the way this is not a foldable device, this is a dual screen device. Foldable laptops exist however.
I am likely some of the few who likes onscreen keyboards and the two finger cursor so the idea is appealing to me. On screen keyboards are also very useful when using three languages daily. Classical clamshell would not work though as mentioned above. It needs a kickstand for balance.
Yeah, like for example this one: https://www.asus.com/laptops/for-home/zenbook/zenbook-17-fold-oled-ux9702/
View attachment 2336169
It’s 2024 and it’s still not possible to disable the “feature” where tapping two on-screen keys at once selects the previous word. This makes fast touch typing on the iPad screen horrible as quick inputs are repeatedly mistaken for a desire to select the previous word. For that reason alone this is undesirable.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Folds are about taking a little screen- like the one in a phone- and making it bigger- like a small tablet. Fold phone user then has the option of using it as a phone (form factor) but can easily open it up when a bigger screen would serve select uses better.
OR folds are about taking a bigger screen- like a tablet- and folding it smaller, to make it more mobile, easier to pocket or pack, etc... so when not in use, it doesn't have to occupy a hand or require a carry bag.
A big laptop screen like that (OP) one is probably best used in conjunction with a bluetooth keyboard and mouse/trackpad in bag for a supersized laptop screen. Open it, rotate it sideways, prop it up at laptop screen angle & secure it that way, and the mobile user basically has a dual screen laptop with them. Use that extra screen R.E. and then when done- fold it closed again, slip it into the laptop bag and go about your day. Such folding laptops already exist like…
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All the fold/roll/VR screen makers are chasing this ability to make bigger screens mobile. They can’t simply take the classic brick and keep adding length & width to it. For example, while a 30" screen in a laptop would be quite useful for some, imagine the heft & weight of that monster. The existing brick phone option is closer to the MAX possible/practical size than to the days when phones were tiny, “one handed use”, etc.
Yes, this (OP) could be set up as shown but I fully agree with Pakaku in #5- what a waste of touch screen space in the bottom half. If I opted to own that kind of folding screen, I’d want it to open full (both screen backs flat on table), so I could prop it up as 2 side-by-side screens and use them both as computing screens.
The OTHER scenario that might be useful is to make this kind of screen so it could fold ON over- like a tabletop sign. This could be useful for situations where people are sitting around a table working together and it is helpful to show a salespersons or presenters screen to those opposite the presenter… instead of everyone having to gather around on one side to see a screen… OR presenter rotating their laptop and trying to carry on while somewhat using it upside down so the others can see the screen.
Personally, I'd have ZERO interest in using a dual screen device as shown in OP, giving up a whole screen for a flat-screen keyboard and trackpad equivalent.
OR folds are about taking a bigger screen- like a tablet- and folding it smaller, to make it more mobile, easier to pocket or pack, etc... so when not in use, it doesn't have to occupy a hand or require a carry bag.
A big laptop screen like that (OP) one is probably best used in conjunction with a bluetooth keyboard and mouse/trackpad in bag for a supersized laptop screen. Open it, rotate it sideways, prop it up at laptop screen angle & secure it that way, and the mobile user basically has a dual screen laptop with them. Use that extra screen R.E. and then when done- fold it closed again, slip it into the laptop bag and go about your day. Such folding laptops already exist like…
All the fold/roll/VR screen makers are chasing this ability to make bigger screens mobile. They can’t simply take the classic brick and keep adding length & width to it. For example, while a 30" screen in a laptop would be quite useful for some, imagine the heft & weight of that monster. The existing brick phone option is closer to the MAX possible/practical size than to the days when phones were tiny, “one handed use”, etc.
Yes, this (OP) could be set up as shown but I fully agree with Pakaku in #5- what a waste of touch screen space in the bottom half. If I opted to own that kind of folding screen, I’d want it to open full (both screen backs flat on table), so I could prop it up as 2 side-by-side screens and use them both as computing screens.
The OTHER scenario that might be useful is to make this kind of screen so it could fold ON over- like a tabletop sign. This could be useful for situations where people are sitting around a table working together and it is helpful to show a salespersons or presenters screen to those opposite the presenter… instead of everyone having to gather around on one side to see a screen… OR presenter rotating their laptop and trying to carry on while somewhat using it upside down so the others can see the screen.
Personally, I'd have ZERO interest in using a dual screen device as shown in OP, giving up a whole screen for a flat-screen keyboard and trackpad equivalent.
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This is my preferred setup. I do this now with a portable monitor and iPad+MK, while having the monitor sit above the iPad. Sometimes, I use the portable monitor for DeX as well.
But I think having both screens used for informational content versus a keyboard/trackpad is the best use case. And I wager this is the route Apple takes with the iPad or a touchscreen MacBook. Perhaps, this could be their way of merging the two operating systems.
Today, I looked at Galaxy Z Fold5 in a shop and I was surprised how good quality display, mechanism of folding and whole device are. I can imagine Apple using even bit better display for their folding iPad. Size let's say from 11" to something like 15" unfold?
Knowing Apple I would expect some twist into that what nobody is doing yet. Like for example the virtual keyboard with taptic engine feedback under the one half of display.
Knowing Apple I would expect some twist into that what nobody is doing yet. Like for example the virtual keyboard with taptic engine feedback under the one half of display.
I guess these kinds of multiple display set ups will enter soon into big competition with boom of AR glasses. They are quite cheap, small, easy to carry on for traveling and you can have lot of virtual displays in front of you by connecting it to your iPhone, iPad, Macbook or Mac.
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Folds are about taking a little screen- like the one in a phone- and making it bigger- like a small tablet. Fold phone user then has the option of using it as a phone (form factor) but can easily open it up when a bigger screen would serve select uses better.
OR folds are about taking a bigger screen- like a tablet- and folding it smaller, to make it more mobile, easier to pocket or pack, etc... so when not in use, it doesn't have to occupy a hand or require a carry bag.
![full]()
My proposed initial idea in the first post for the use case of foldable iPad was: you could carry relatively small device like an iPad and when you need laptop with keyboard, voila you just unfold it and have it too.
on screen keyboards / keyboards with zero key travel suck. i’d much prefer the attachable keyboard. like i already have.
I agree. But what about underdisplay taptic engine which would simulate click as on home button in an iPhone or clicks on Macbook trackpad? Would it solve that problem?
sounds like a lot of expensive tech to poorly simulate what already works much better at far less expense.
and there will still be no/minimal key movement. if you can’t rest fingers on/feel keys before pressing them, anyone who can actually touch type will be crippled. people who can touch type do not hover over touch sensitive buttons. they rest fingers on the keyboard.
also. keyboards with no give or physical key movement are likely to cause rsi when used at speed via touch typing.
Not if I can avoid it. Sometimes I do but its very rare, and only when I have no room to use the keyboard case.
For those wanting a virtual keyboard I'd suggest that for 90% of stuff dictating via Siri is probably faster and less painful than a touch screen keyboard...