Apple says the iPhone Duo now has more than 100,000 apps built for it on the App Store, and thousands more are being added every day. The company tied that update to a wave of new Duo-ready apps, while some existing apps still have not fully rolled out their updates.
Apple App Store support grows for iPhone Duo
The announcement came alongside more than a dozen additional Duo-ready apps, including Microsoft Word, Outlook, Zoom, NBA and NHL sports apps, Etsy, LTK, Goodnotes, Extra, and the Halide Mark III camera app. Apple also pointed to older Duo-optimized apps already on the device, including Netflix, YouTube, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Non-optimized apps still create problems on the Duo because they show a black bar along the side of the display, which uses up screen space. In some cases, important functions are hidden under an overflow menu. Apple’s figures also suggest that some iOS developers needed more time to adapt to the new form factor.
Developer workshops and launch demand
Apple said more than 2,000 app developers attended more than 50 in-person workshops across 19 cities worldwide. At those sessions, developers could use the Duo and work on their apps with Apple’s support. The company also said the device has been more popular than it may have expected given its price.
The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for the 256GB model. It sold out within hours of preorders opening, and ship times have now moved into next year. On this week’s earnings call, Apple said it is “hard to predict” when the supply constraints behind those delays will improve.
Updates still rolling out
Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations, said in a statement that it has been “wonderful to see how quickly developers have embraced iPhone Duo,” and said Apple is grateful for their creativity and innovation. She added that the company expects the pace of updates to keep accelerating as more apps optimize for iPhone Duo.
Apple also listed a long group of other apps updated for iOS 27 and optimized for the iPhone Duo, including Spotify, CBS, Tubi, BBC iPlayer, Yahoo Fantasy Sports, Sportsnet, Facebook Messenger, Google Chat, ChatGPT, Grok Bot, Microsoft Copilot, Excel, PowerPoint, SAP Concur, monday.com, PDF Expert, Documents, iA Writer, Substack, The Washington Post, Yahoo News, FOX News, Kalshi, Yahoo Finance, Canva, Suno, Tinder, Google Translate, Strava, Alma, Withings, MyFitnessPal, Bevel, Transit, Citi Bike, ParkMobile, Viator, Tesla Robotaxi, Priceline, Kroger, Domino’s, Taco Bell, Untappd, The Weather Channel, FOX Weather, and RainViewer.
Not all of those updates have fully appeared yet. Spotify still shows the black bar on the side on a Duo review unit, and the App Store does not yet show an update available there. The list came directly from Apple, and the updates are expected to appear soon.
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