Apple’s “iPad Ultra” Dream Fails to Take Off

The idea of a giant, foldable tablet that could outshine every other Apple device has hit a roadblock. Rumors of an “iPad Ultra” have circulated, but insiders say Apple has decided against moving forward. The main reason? Sales of the current high‑end iPad Pro have been falling for three straight years, and even a 13‑inch version sold poorly in late 2024. When people aren’t buying the existing premium model at $1, 299, it’s hard to justify a product that would cost almost $4, 000. A prototype of the Ultra reportedly weighed as much as a 14‑inch MacBook Pro, yet it was supposed to fold in half. That size and weight make the price tag feel even more outlandish. Apple is working with Samsung on a huge OLED panel that would need to have an almost invisible crease, but the engineering challenge is huge. Even tech reporters who follow Apple closely warn that the Ultra might never leave the lab.The bigger issue is what role the iPad would play in 2026. The Pro line keeps adding power and features, yet it still runs iPadOS—a system that feels stuck between a phone’s simplicity and a laptop’s full capabilities. Users who need serious work tools usually turn to Macs, while casual users prefer the standard iPad. The Ultra would sit in the middle of a market that already feels confused about where tablets fit. Adding “Ultra” to a product that is hard to justify in price or purpose could make Apple’s brand image weaker. Even though Apple has other “Ultra” models in development, a foldable tablet that can’t clearly define its own identity would only add to the company’s doubts about the iPad’s future.