The industry chain revealed that the new iPad has a secret to create a folding screen and support 5G network

Recently, we got news from the industry chain that Apple is secretly developing a new iPad. The biggest feature of this iPad is that it has a folding structure. Its screen size will be close to that of the current Macbook products, injecting new development momentum into the tablet market. Industry chain insiders said that Shin Nihon, a bearing manufacturer that has cooperated with Apple for many years, will play a key role in the folding iPad. In addition, with the increase in screen size, the materials including casing and touch screen will also increase synchronously, and the shipment demand of a series of cooperative suppliers such as GIS and TPK will also be stimulated.

Regarding the rumor that Apple will launch a foldable iPad, there is still relatively little news from the industry chain. Although the iPad still occupies an absolute position in the global market, due to the gradual saturation of the market and the step-by-step approach of other competitors, the actual annual sales volume of the iPad is declining. If the iPad can be folded in the future, it is believed that it will attract consumers again, because it will bring a revolutionary change in functional structure, so more new usage scenarios will appear accordingly.

Jeff Lin, an analyst at research firm IHS Markit, revealed that Apple is currently quietly building a foldable iPad. It is believed that the product will also support 5G networks and be equipped with an A-series processor. The screen size will be close to the current MacBook product line, bringing a new revolution to tablets and used to compete with Microsoft's rumored new dual-screen Surface. The foldable iPad is expected to be launched as early as next year.

The supply chain said that in the current domestic iPad supply chain, GIS and TPK are responsible for supplying touch modules, while the casings are supplied by Catcher, Hony and Casetek, and the bearing manufacturer Shin Nihon is responsible for supplying bearing components for Macbook. If the iPad has a folding function in the future, the market expects Shin Nihon to give priority to supply.

Industry insiders analyzed that from a technical perspective, the new changes in the casing and touch module will not be significant and the difficulty will not be high. The most important new component changes will be in the bearings. The two major domestic bearing manufacturers, Shin Nichia and Zhaoli, have rich experience. Among them, Shin Nichia has been supplying bearings to Apple for a long time. It is expected that if the foldable iPad is to be mass-produced, the cooperation between the two parties will inevitably become closer.

If the foldable iPad is successfully launched, it will have a larger screen area when opened, and its portability will be further improved, which will achieve a better balance between its business and portability. The most important thing is that the iPad has data connection function and can support 5G networks, so its various features may have a real impact on laptops in the future.

The structure of the foldable iPad will not only increase the screen touch and casing materials, but also add an additional bearing for the folding of the screen, so for industry chain suppliers, there must be a potential increase in material demand.