Developers showcase creative iPhone Duo apps across entertainment, productivity, and retro experiences

Apple’s first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, is prompting developers to design apps that exploit its two distinct screens. Early reviewers note that while many mainstream iOS apps still display black bars or require manual resizing, several Duo-specific applications demonstrate the form factor’s potential.

Netflix, one of Apple’s hand-picked launch partners, has adapted its interface so users can browse short-form clips on the outer screen and continue watching on the larger inner display when the device is opened. The transition is seamless, allowing a shift from phone-size viewing to a bigger screen without leaving the app.

Indie developer Vidit Bhargava’s Deck-Man (formerly Duo-Man) recreates a vintage Walkman cassette player, using the hinge to show the tape deck on one side and album art on the other. The app mimics real cassette sounds and offers a nostalgic experience that could only exist on a hinged device.

TypeDraw provides a digital notebook with customizable handwriting fonts, paper styles and ink colors. Its page-curl animation and elastic-band effect make the closed Duo resemble a physical notebook.

Fitness app Wakeout, a former Apple App of the Year winner, offers different layouts for each Duo position—closed, open like a book, laptop mode, or tent mode—so users can perform quick movement breaks at a desk.

Flighty, an Apple Design Award winner, expands its flight-tracking map across the unfolded screen, adding an “En Route Mode” that uses the tent configuration for in-flight monitoring while users multitask.

Tiny Computers lets enthusiasts explore emulated retro computers such as the Macintosh, Commodore 64 and Windows 95 on the Duo’s laptop mode, featuring hidden-file challenges for a small one-time purchase.

Sky Guide takes advantage of the larger display for immersive stargazing, while MD Vinyl enlarges a virtual record player that users can interact with by moving the arm on the spinning disk. Pico Cam, a Polaroid-style camera app, benefits from extra screen space for gallery browsing.

A novelty app called Toastie simulates a toaster, requiring users to keep the Duo closed while the virtual toast “cooks.” Though not essential, it illustrates the playful experimentation developers are undertaking.

Apple expects additional Duo-optimized apps to appear as more developers gain access to the device.