Apple has confirmed that more than 100,000 apps in the App Store are now optimized for the iPhone Duo’s internal foldable display, vietnam.vn reported, citing CNET.
The list includes Spotify, Facebook Messenger, ChatGPT, Microsoft Word, Tinder, Canva and Google Translate, among many other popular applications. “There are currently more than 100,000 apps developed for the iPhone Duo in the App Store. Thousands more optimized apps are added every day,” Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of worldwide developer relations, told CNET.
Developers Prepared in 19 Cities Before Launch
According to Prescott, thousands of developers took part in workshops Apple held in October in 19 cities around the world to gain experience and develop ideas for the iPhone Duo. “The appeal is really impressive, and we’re pleased that the pace of updates is increasing and more and more apps are being optimized for the iPhone Duo,” an Apple representative said.
On the iPhone Duo, the interfaces of Microsoft Word and Outlook are adapted to show more information, similar to their desktop versions, while Zoom uses the integrated screen for a larger meeting room. Some shopping apps, such as Etsy, display more products on the same page, and work and note-taking apps like Goodnotes make use of the larger space inside the app.
Camera and Reading Apps Take Advantage of the Fold
The Halide Mark III camera app lets users employ the external screen as a viewfinder and adjust the position of the controls to match the camera’s orientation, either fully or at 90 degrees. Netflix, TikTok, Instagram (including Edits) and NYT Cooking had previously also been highlighted as optimized for the iPhone Duo. Duo Reader, an e-book app developed by a Vietnamese company, is optimized for the device as well.
Not Every App Fills the 4:3 Screen
Since its release in mid-October, the iPhone Duo has received mixed reviews. One point of criticism concerns app optimization: according to CNET, many users complain that their favorite apps were not optimized for the 4:3 display. In some cases, apps keep the navigation bar at the bottom edge of the screen even though Apple placed that area on the right. Many apps even retain a vertical aspect ratio, with two black bars on the sides, instead of expanding across the entire screen. According to CNET, this is not unusual for devices with new hardware; in the early phase, foldable Android smartphones also needed time before applications were optimized for the new aspect ratio.
Users have even created their own website, fitsduo.com, which constantly updates the list of apps that are fully, partially or not yet optimized for the iPhone Duo. Partially compatible apps, for example, can expand the display area on the inner screen but do not fill the entire screen.
iOS 27.2 Adds USB-C Pencil Support
The iOS 27.2 update now also offers compatibility with the USB-C Pencil, allowing users to draw or take notes in documents much as they would on an iPad. Going forward, Apple will label apps “Made for iPhone Duo” to indicate that they are fully compatible with the device.
Worth a look