Apple Announces Over 100,000 Optimized Apps Live for iPhone Duo
Apple announced on Friday that more than 100,000 applications optimized for its new iPhone Duo foldable device are currently available on the App Store. The company stated that developers are adding thousands more optimized applications to the digital marketplace each day following initial reviews that highlighted a relative shortage of custom software at launch.
The update on application availability accompanied the release of over a dozen major Duo-ready applications. Newly optimized software includes productivity tools such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Outlook, Goodnotes, and Extra, alongside communication platforms like Zoom. Sports offerings from the NBA and NHL, shopping platforms such as Etsy and LTK, and photography tools like the Halide Mark III camera app have also been updated for the device. These join existing optimized applications including Netflix, YouTube, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Developer Support and Display Optimization
Unoptimized software running on the iPhone Duo displays a black bar along the side of the screen, which occupies display area and occasionally places functions under an overflow menu. To assist software creators with the new hardware layout, Apple reported that over 2,000 application developers attended more than 50 in-person workshops hosted across 19 cities globally, where creators could test their software on the Duo with direct technical assistance from Apple.
“It’s been wonderful to see how quickly developers have embraced iPhone Duo, and we’re grateful for their creativity and innovation,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations, in a statement regarding the milestone. “The enthusiasm has been incredible, and we’re excited to see the pace of updates continue to accelerate as more and more apps optimize for iPhone Duo.”
Supply Constraints and Software Rollouts
The iPhone Duo carries a starting price of $1,999 for the 256GB storage configuration. Despite the high price point, initial inventory sold out within hours of pre-orders opening, pushing estimated shipping timelines into next year. During its quarterly earnings call, Apple stated that it remains difficult to predict when the supply constraints causing shipping delays will resolve.
Apple outlined a extensive selection of additional software updated for iOS 27 and optimized for the device. The list includes:
- Media and Publishing: Spotify, CBS, Tubi, BBC iPlayer (U.K.), Substack, The Washington Post, Yahoo News, and FOX News.
- Productivity and Work: Microsoft Copilot, Excel, PowerPoint, SAP Concur, monday.com, PDF Expert, Documents, iA Writer, ChatGPT, Grok Bot, and Canva.
- Communication and Social: Facebook Messenger and Google Chat.
- Finance and Commerce: Kalshi, Yahoo Finance, Etsy, LTK, Priceline, Kroger, Domino’s, Taco Bell, and Untappd.
- Health, Navigation, and Utilities: Strava, Alma, Withings, MyFitnessPal, Bevel, Transit, Citi Bike, ParkMobile, Viator, Tesla Robotaxi, The Weather Channel, FOX Weather, RainViewer, Google Translate, Suno, and Tinder.
Apple noted that not all listed software updates have completed their full distribution to users. For example, Spotify continues to display side black bars on review hardware without showing an available update on the App Store, though Apple expects these updates to deploy shortly.
