Apple Announces Over 100,000 iPhone Duo-Optimized Apps as Major Software Follows Suit
Apple states that over 100,000 apps in the App Store are now optimized for the iPhone Duo, including Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Zoom, addressing early criticisms of limited software support.
Apple announced on Friday that more than 100,000 apps optimized for its new foldable iPhone Duo are now live on the App Store, with thousands more being added daily. This milestone aims to counter early negative reviews citing a lack of native software support at launch.
The announcement coincides with the release of over a dozen notable Duo-ready apps, including Microsoft Word, Outlook, Zoom, sports apps from the NBA and NHL, shopping apps like Etsy, and productivity tools such as Goodnotes. These join previously available optimized apps like Netflix, YouTube, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Non-optimized apps display a black bar on the side of the screen, wasting space and sometimes hiding key functions under overflow menus. Apple noted that over 2,000 developers attended more than 50 in-person workshops across 19 cities worldwide to help adapt their apps for the new form factor.
Despite a starting price of $1,999 for the 256GB model, the iPhone Duo sold out within hours of orders opening, with ship times shifting into next year. On its earnings call this week, Apple said it was "hard to predict" when supply constraints would improve. Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations, stated, "It’s been wonderful to see how quickly developers have embraced iPhone Duo."