There was no foldable iPhone in BGR’s “first look.” The July 10, 2024 article was a hands-on reaction to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 6, using that shipping phone to illustrate what Apple might have to solve if it ever builds a clamshell iPhone. It showed Samsung hardware, not an Apple prototype, photograph, CAD drawing or announcement.
That makes the Galaxy Z Flip 6 a useful experience preview of a possible iPhone Flip—but not evidence that Apple has chosen a design, supplier, release date or price.
What “first look” actually means
A literal first look would be an Apple announcement, engineering document, prototype photograph, leaked render or other direct evidence of Apple hardware. The BGR story was none of those. José Adorno’s article, published July 10, 2024, described a hands-on experience with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 6 and connected its design choices to reports about Apple’s possible interest in foldable displays. Read the original BGR article.
The accurate interpretation is narrower: Samsung’s phone demonstrated the physical compromises and software opportunities Apple would face, especially if Apple pursued a vertically folding phone.
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- Offers a 6.7″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X folding main display with a 1–120 Hz adaptive refresh rate, giving you fluid visuals for media, gaming, and multitasking while still folding into a compact, stylish form.
- On the outside, there’s a 3.4″ Super AMOLED FlexWindow cover screen that allows quick access to widgets, notifications, health tracking, and camera controls without opening the phone.
- Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 “for Galaxy” processor paired with 12 GB of RAM, delivering fast, efficient performance for 5G connectivity, apps, and AI-driven features.
- Equipped with a dual rear camera setup (50 MP wide with OIS + 12 MP ultra-wide) and a 10 MP front camera — perfect for high-quality photos, video, and creative FlexCam shots from unique foldable angles.
- Built tough with IP48 water resistance, an enhanced Armor Aluminum hinge, Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, combining style, durability, and secure access.
What BGR actually saw in the Galaxy Z Flip 6
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 folds a conventional-size smartphone into a compact, square-like package. Open, it has a 6.7-inch display; closed, it can handle selected tasks from its outer screen. BGR’s argument came from using those Samsung features, not from seeing an iPhone.
Samsung announced the Flip 6 on July 10, 2024, and began U.S. general availability on July 24. Its U.S. launch price was $1,099.99 before trade-in. A separate Samsung upgrade page displayed “from $899.99 before trade-in,” a page-specific promotional or upgrade signal rather than a universal street price.
Galaxy Z Flip 6 specifications that define the comparison
| Feature | Galaxy Z Flip 6 |
|---|---|
| Main display | 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2640 × 1080, adaptive 1–120Hz |
| Cover display | 3.4-inch Super AMOLED, 720 × 748, 60Hz |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform for Galaxy |
| Cameras | 50MP wide and 12MP ultrawide rear cameras; 10MP front camera |
| Battery | 4,000mAh typical capacity |
| Memory and storage | 12GB RAM; 256GB or 512GB storage |
| Dimensions | Folded: 85.1 × 71.9 × 14.9mm; unfolded: 165.1 × 71.9 × 6.9mm |
| Weight | 187g |
| Software at launch | Android 14 with One UI 6.1.1 |
| Protection | IP48 water resistance and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
These specifications come from Samsung’s U.S. newsroom announcement and Samsung’s specification sheet. IP48 is not the same as complete protection from fine dust, an important distinction for any hinged phone.
Why the Flip 6 became a useful foldable-iPhone proxy
A compact clamshell form
The Flip 6 is the closest real-world example to the commonly imagined “iPhone Flip”: a normal phone when open, but much shorter in a pocket or bag when closed. It is not simply a smaller iPhone. Folding reduces height while increasing folded thickness, because the hinge and two display halves must fit inside the closed body.
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- Offers a 6.7″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X folding main display with a 1–120 Hz adaptive refresh rate, giving you fluid visuals for media, gaming, and multitasking while still folding into a compact, stylish form.
- On the outside, there’s a 3.4″ Super AMOLED FlexWindow cover screen that allows quick access to widgets, notifications, health tracking, and camera controls without opening the phone.
- Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 “for Galaxy” processor paired with 12 GB of RAM, delivering fast, efficient performance for 5G connectivity, apps, and AI-driven features.
- Equipped with a dual rear camera setup (50 MP wide with OIS + 12 MP ultra-wide) and a 10 MP front camera — perfect for high-quality photos, video, and creative FlexCam shots from unique foldable angles.
- Built tough with IP48 water resistance, an enhanced Armor Aluminum hinge, Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, combining style, durability, and secure access.
A less prominent, not invisible, crease
BGR pointed to the Flip 6’s reduced crease visibility and earlier reports about a revised hinge and thicker ultra-thin glass. Samsung officially described an improved foldable display and enhanced hinge durability. Those facts show engineering progress; they do not establish that Apple has adopted Samsung’s materials or solved creases permanently. A crease can be harder to notice without disappearing from every angle or lighting condition.
For Apple, the reported goals were demanding: the folded device should not be dramatically thicker than current iPhones, and the inner crease should be minimal. A hinge, flexible display stack, battery, cameras, Face ID hardware and thermal-management parts all compete for limited internal volume. Thinner construction can affect durability, battery capacity, repairability and camera size.
A cover screen that changes phone behavior
Samsung’s 3.4-inch FlexWindow can show notifications and widgets, run selected apps, provide camera controls and act as a viewfinder. That is a different interaction model from enlarging a slab phone. A future Apple implementation could use widgets, Live Activities, quick replies or glanceable controls, but there is no evidence that Apple will copy Samsung’s layout or software.
FlexCam and hands-free photography
Samsung documents FlexCam functions that use the partially folded phone for hands-free shooting, automatic framing and zoom adjustments. The folded chassis can create camera angles that require a separate stand on a conventional phone. Whether Apple would use the same hinge angles, camera arrangement or automatic framing is unknown.
Interpreter Mode and two-screen interaction
BGR highlighted Samsung’s Interpreter Mode, in which one participant can view translated content on the inner display while another sees information on the cover screen. It illustrates why a foldable can enable an interaction that feels awkward on a conventional phone. It remains a Samsung feature, not evidence of future iOS functionality.
What Apple would have to solve
Hardware constraints
- Thickness and weight: The phone must be pocketable when closed without sacrificing battery or camera capability.
- Hinge life and display protection: Moving parts and a flexible panel introduce wear points that sealed slab phones largely avoid.
- Water and particle resistance: Water resistance does not automatically mean protection from fine dust entering a hinge.
- Battery and thermals: Two displays and a high-performance processor consume space and power inside a constrained chassis.
- Repair and ownership cost: A flexible display and hinge are more complex to service, so warranty, accidental-damage coverage and repair terms matter.
Software constraints
The difficult Apple question may be continuity rather than the hinge itself. iOS would need to decide which apps, notifications, authentication methods and controls work while the phone is closed, then transition cleanly when it opens. Apple would also have to handle app resizing, multitasking, camera controls, lock-screen widgets and Apple Intelligence across two displays. Integration with Apple Watch, AirPods, iCloud and other services could be a major advantage, but none of those behaviors has been confirmed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Not all Apple foldable rumors describe the same product
Reports discussed by BGR have pointed in more than one direction. Treating them as one device creates unnecessary certainty.
| Concept | What it would do | How closely the Flip 6 relates |
|---|---|---|
| Clamshell iPhone Flip | A phone-sized device that folds vertically into a shorter package | Directly comparable in form factor |
| Book-style foldable iPhone | A phone that opens sideways into a larger, tablet-like display | Only an indirect comparison |
| Large foldable iPad/Mac hybrid | A productivity-oriented computer or tablet with a folding screen | Not represented by the Flip 6’s compact-phone design |
A report about a large iPad- or Mac-style foldable cannot be used as confirmation of an iPhone Flip. Apple has not publicly confirmed an official name, product category, screen size, hinge design, supplier, launch date or price.
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- Offers a 6.7″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X folding main display with a 1–120 Hz adaptive refresh rate, giving you fluid visuals for media, gaming, and multitasking while still folding into a compact, stylish form.
How strong is the evidence?
- Confirmed: Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 6, its specifications, software and launch schedule.
- Reported: Analyst or supply-chain claims about Apple’s possible foldable requirements or development.
- Inferred: What Samsung’s progress suggests Apple may need to match in usability and engineering.
- Unknown: Apple’s final design, timing, materials, price, operating-system behavior and durability targets.
Samsung’s later foldable announcements show that the category continues to evolve, but they do not turn the 2024 BGR article into an Apple leak. See Samsung’s 2026 display work in its July 14, 2026 newsroom report and its 2026 Fold8 and Flip8 announcement for current Samsung context.
Should an iPhone owner buy the Galaxy Z Flip 6?
Buy it only if you want a foldable phone now and are comfortable moving to Android. The Flip 6 offers the clamshell experience, cover-screen shortcuts and hands-free camera modes today; it does not provide iOS, iMessage-specific workflows, Apple Watch integration or any guarantee of what Apple may eventually build.
If Apple ecosystem integration is the deciding factor, staying with a conventional iPhone is the practical choice while Apple’s plans remain unconfirmed. If you are shopping in 2026, Samsung’s announced Galaxy Z Flip8 is a newer clamshell reference than the 2024 Flip 6, but the available information here does not establish its price. Compare official warranty, screen-protection and repair terms before buying any foldable.
Verdict
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is a credible preview of the problems and possibilities a foldable iPhone would face: folded thickness, crease visibility, hinge durability, cover-screen usefulness, camera flexibility and software continuity. It is not a preview of Apple’s actual hardware. The headline’s “first look” is a metaphor, and any claim that Apple has shown, confirmed or scheduled an iPhone Flip goes beyond the evidence.
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