Just over two weeks before the launch, Apple is opening the App Store to apps specifically designed for the iPhone Duo. Developers can submit their adapted apps and games immediately. A deadline for submissions afterward has also been set.
Apple announced on its developer website on October 5th that developers should prepare their apps for the iPhone Duo. Adapted apps and games can now be submitted to App Store Connect, the portal through which developers publish their apps on the App Store.
According to Apple, the device itself will be available on October 23rd. It will ship with iOS 27.1, the version released to the public without a prior testing phase and which includes the adjustments for the two displays.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Developers have been able to submit apps and games adapted for the iPhone Duo to the App Store since October 5th.
- The basis is Xcode 27.1; anyone who recompiles an existing app with it receives development support for the iPhone Duo.
- From April 2027 onwards, all submitted apps and games must include screenshots for the iPhone Duo.
- There are 18 days between the start of the submission and the start of sales.
What developers can do now
According to Apple, simply recompiling existing apps with Xcode 27.1 is sufficient to begin with. This version adds development support for the iPhone Duo. A tool called Device Hub allows users to test how an app behaves on the device in all positions and orientations.
Apple is responding to the device's unique feature: the iPhone Duo is used both folded and unfolded, and the iOS 27 interface adapts to this. Therefore, apps need to be able to handle multiple formats instead of a fixed screen.
New guidelines for product pages in the App Store
Apple has also updated the guidelines for screenshots and preview videos in the App Store, including for the iPhone Duo. New features include header graphics for product pages and custom graphics for search results. A preview tool in App Store Connect shows how screenshots, header graphics, and descriptions will look on the iPhone Duo.
From April 2027, this will become mandatory: Every submitted app and game must then include screenshots for the iPhone Duo. For developers who initially don't support the device, this is the deadline by which they must at least update their product page.
The timeline until the start of sales
For buyers in Germany, the release schedule set by Apple for the iPhone Duo applies. Prices start at €2,299 in Germany and CHF 1,999 in Switzerland.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| October 5 | Submission of customized apps to the App Store is possible |
| October 12 | Pre-orders can be prepared |
| October 16, 2 p.m. | Pre-orders start |
| October 23 | Sales launch and delivery |
| April 2027 | Screenshots for the iPhone Duo will be mandatory |
All data, prices and equipment details are compiled in the overview for the iPhone Duo.
18 days for the first wave
For the first wave of customized apps, developers have 18 days between submitting their application and going on sale. I think that's tight, but doable, because the tools have been in beta since September and the first step only involves recompiling. The extent to which an app is customized beyond this initial step is the real work.
I believe the mandatory screenshot requirement starting in April 2027 sends a clearer signal. Apple is thus treating the iPhone Duo in the App Store not as a niche device, but as a standard product that must be featured on every product page – regardless of how many units have been sold by then.
Which app do you want to see open first on your iPhone Duo? Let us know in the comments which app will influence your purchase decision.
