Rumours of a massive, foldable iPad Ultra have floated around for a while, making it a future contender for our list of the best tablets. Now, though, it sounds like it’s been put on ice.
According to Weibo leaker Instant Digital, Apple now has no plans to release an iPad Ultra, despite wider rumours that the tech giant is expanding its Ultra branding across multiple devices.
The news comes as Apple’s previous top-tier tablet, the iPad Pro (M4), has struggled to hit expectations. Shipment forecasts for the 2024 model were cut significantly after launch, with analysts pointing to high prices – starting at $999 for the smaller model and $1299 for the larger one – as a key barrier for buyers who still see tablets as secondary devices.
Given a folding iPad Ultra would likely be a radically more expensive, experimental product with an equally radical price tag, its reported cancellation makes sense. Apple’s iPad revenue has declined for three consecutive years, and the category accounted for just 6.73 per cent of Apple’s total revenue in 2025 – hardly the kind of momentum you’d want before launching an even more expensive flagship.
As for what could have been, previous rumours pointed to a foldable device with a screen somewhere around 20 inches when opened, potentially blurring the line between iPad and MacBook entirely. But that concept has reportedly run into problems on multiple fronts.
Engineering challenges around weight and display tech have already reportedly pushed the project’s timeline back, while early prototypes were said to be heavier than a 14-inch MacBook Pro and far bulkier than existing iPads. Pricing wasn’t helping either, with some estimates suggesting it could land as high as $3900.
That doesn’t mean the idea is completely dead, mind. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has explored a large foldable device internally, though even that could end up as a “wacky experiment” that never sees the light of day.
For now, though, it looks like the iPad Ultra won’t be seeing the light of day anytime soon. moment. At least the rumoured folding iPhone Ultra still looks set to be on track…
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