Key takeaways
- Apple says there are “well over 100,000 apps” built for iPhone Duo, with thousands more added every day, after more than 50 workshops for developers.
- Out of roughly 1.8 million apps in the App Store, that’s about one in eighteen. Even optimized apps and Safari still leave strips of unused screen on a $1,999 phone.
- My view: Ternus laughed at Android foldables on stage. Samsung is on its eighth Fold, and in this segment, for the first time, I think Samsung will be ahead.
Apple says there are now “well over 100,000 apps” built for the iPhone Duo, with thousands more added every day. More than 2,000 developers went through over 50 Apple workshops in 19 cities to get there.
In this article: Ternus, how could you laugh? · Exact numbers for good news, “a small number” for bad news · 100,000 sounds big. Do the math. · First wow, then Samsung · My advice before you buy, or before you return · FAQ
Ternus, how could you laugh?
Remember who laughed at this. On stage in September, John Ternus mocked other foldables where apps are “boxed in by oversized black bars.” Two months later, his own foldable does exactly the same, and Apple sells it as a success that “only” 100,000 apps are fixed. You laughed at Android, Apple. Now look in the mirror.
Ternus, how could you laugh at anyone when you knew what a show you have with the Duo? When it’s folded, your display is so miserable, with that strip where Wi-Fi and notifications sit. In my opinion, the usable area when it’s folded is about 75%, which is downright laughable. And when you open some website, another strip appears at the bottom, and on the side too. Apple itself admits Safari leaves part of the outer screen empty and says it is “investigating” a fix. And I mean even in apps like Instagram, which was one of the first to be optimized. How can you laugh?
Exact numbers for good news, “a small number” for bad news
Look how precise Apple suddenly is. 100,000 apps. 2,000 developers. 50 workshops. 19 cities. Everything counted, everything in a press statement.
And when iPhone Duo screens started cracking? “A small number of units.” No figure, nothing. I asked Apple to show us that number and we still don’t have it. When the number helps Apple, it comes to the digit. When it hurts, it disappears.
100,000 sounds big. Do the math.
The App Store has roughly 1.8 million apps. 100,000 is about one in eighteen. And nobody uses 100,000 apps. You use ten, maybe fifteen, every day: mail, maps, banking, Teams, your calendar. If three of those still look like a stretched old phone, the other 99,997 mean nothing to you. How many of those 100,000 are flashlights and wallpapers nobody opens twice? Apple doesn’t say. One reader under the news put it perfectly: “Fart app x99,000+.”
First wow, then Samsung
Yes, the first moment you take the Duo in your hand, you say wow. But then you start to see the differences between Samsung and the Duo.
| iPhone Duo | Galaxy Z Fold 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Generation | First | Eighth |
| Starting price | $1,999 | $1,899 |
| Weight | 254 g | 201 g |
| Outer / inner screen | 5.4″ / 7.6″ | 5.5″ / 7.6″ |
| Water resistance | IP68 | IP48 |
| Stylus | Apple Pencil | No S Pen |
iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold 8. Source: TechRadar.
Fair is fair: the Duo is better protected against water and works with Apple Pencil. But Samsung is cheaper, more than 50 grams lighter, and its apps have had eight generations to learn how to fill a foldable screen. Apple has had two weeks. In this segment, I think that for the first time Samsung will be ahead, as people get more experience with both phones.
My advice before you buy, or before you return
Open the App Store, search for the apps you use every day, and look for the “Made for iPhone Duo” badge. If your most important ones don’t have it, don’t buy yet. And if you already bought it and you’re unhappy, Apple just extended holiday returns, so check your return window before it closes.
My guess: by Christmas Apple will proudly announce 200,000 apps. And we still won’t know how many screens cracked. Remember my words.
Also on Evolt News: Apple Admits iPhone Duo Screens Crack · “A Small Number”? Then Why Did Apple Send Every Store an iPhone Duo Memo? · iPhone Duo Could Take 30% of Foldables in 2027
Featured image: SimonWaldherr / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).
This article is opinion.
iPhone Duo apps: FAQ
How many apps support iPhone Duo?
Apple says “well over 100,000 apps” built for iPhone Duo are live on the App Store, with thousands of optimized apps added every day.
How do I know if an app is optimized for iPhone Duo?
Optimized apps show a “Made for iPhone Duo” badge on their App Store product page.
What happens with apps that aren’t updated?
On the inner display, apps not updated for the Duo run in a narrow portrait window with black bars on the sides.
Why does Safari leave empty space on the iPhone Duo’s outer display?
Safari places its controls along the side of the wide outer screen and keeps web pages beside them. Apple says it is investigating a way to let pages use more of the screen.
iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold 8: what are the main differences?
The Duo starts at $1,999 and weighs 254 g; the Fold 8 starts at $1,899 and weighs 201 g. The Duo has IP68 water resistance and Apple Pencil support; the Fold 8 is rated IP48 and has no S Pen support.
Can I return the iPhone Duo?
Apple Stores now offer extended holiday returns on all products. Check your purchase date and return window in your Apple order details.
I read this news on 9to5Mac.
Sources: 9to5Mac, AppleInsider, TechRadar, MacRumors, BGR, 9to5Google.
Our Take
100,000 optimized apps is real progress, but it’s one in eighteen, and even optimized apps still leave strips of empty screen on a $1,999 phone.
Ternus laughed at Android’s black bars. Samsung, on its eighth Fold, is cheaper and lighter, and right now its foldable simply works better with apps. Before you buy, check your own ten apps, not Apple’s headline.
More on the iPhone Duo
- Apple’s Display Veterans Step Aside. Don’t Blame Them for the iPhone Duo
- iPhone Duo Screen Cracks: iFixit Points at the Hinge. Apple Stays Silent
- Apple Passes Nvidia on iPhone Duo Day. One Day Is Not a Crown
- Apple Reportedly Raises iPhone Duo Orders 44%. Take It With a Grain of Salt
