Apple's foldable iPhone and touch-screen MacBook, which are being discussed as products it could introduce this year, could in the mid to long term shake the iPad's standing, a forecast said.

According to IT outlet 9to5Mac on May 28 local time, even if the two products do not immediately have a major impact on iPad sales, they were cited as variables that could redefine the role of tablets itself in the future.

At the core is the iPad's role as a middle device so far. When unveiling the iPad, Steve Jobs explained that a third device was needed between the iPhone and the Mac, and sales performance over the past 16 years has shown that the concept was valid to some extent. The forecast said the situation could change if other Apple products begin moving into the iPad's main areas of use.

The iPhone Ultra is expected to be Apple's first foldable iPhone. It is expected to keep the form of a regular iPhone that fits in a pocket when folded, and could offer a display and usability closer to the iPad mini when unfolded. The outlet pointed out that "when unfolded, it will look and work like an iPad mini." That suggests a foldable iPhone could partly replace the combination of portability and an expanded screen that the iPad currently provides.

The MacBook Ultra was discussed as a tentative name for a revamped MacBook Pro model with a touch screen. If Apple expands touch input across the Mac lineup over the long term, one of the iPad's key differentiators could weaken. In that regard, 9to5Mac said, "If Apple ultimately dedicates itself to bringing touchscreens to the entire Mac lineup, iPads lose a big advantage they have right now."

Even if launches materialise this year, the initial impact is likely to be limited. The foldable iPhone is likely to be priced high and targeted at early demand, and touch screens on Macs could form an initial market with similar characteristics. The outlet also viewed this year's products as "niche, early-adopter products."

The issue is that such changes can accumulate over time. If foldable prices fall and screen sizes diversify, some users could handle necessary tasks with a foldable iPhone alone without a separate iPad. If touch MacBooks also take hold, the iPad would face internal competition on both fronts of a portable big screen and touch input.

Against that backdrop, the iPad's tasks ahead have become clear. The outlet said the product's identity could be shaken if it fails to secure new usability or a differentiated role. It mentioned, "If iPads do not evolve, they risk being encroached upon by other Apple products," adding, "Looking five years ahead, it is hard to be sure the future of the product is that bright."

For Apple, redesigning boundaries between products is expected to become more important. If a foldable iPhone narrows the line between smartphones and small tablets, and a touch MacBook broadens the space between laptops and tablets, the iPad must show a new reason to exist in between. As a result, a more important point to watch than whether the new products launch this year is how the iPad evolves going forward. A forecast said it may be difficult to keep pace with the speed of reshuffling within Apple's lineup with only the current form and strengths.