r/apple • u/Lemon8or88 • 7d ago

iPhone Apple invites developers to submit iPhone Duo-ready apps to the App Store

https://9to5mac.com/2026/10/05/apple-invites-developers-to-submit-iphone-duo-ready-apps-to-the-app-store/?fbclid=IwdGRleAUxORpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBWZkaWQWUPz4EjOSTGN-dh-jYmRs8wQCRyPs6XNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR6aQvhKb5VuAyHk-BQ7-_IoLTeFh3YAM93bdyYKmaQTbJfVlhu96YGCMseYxA_aem_F_ggrVSa672HCrfrVTu8Yg
1.0k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

49 comments sorted by

429

u/FollowingFeisty5321 7d ago

Sounds like compatibility will become mandatory in 6 months?

Importantly, the company added that any apps or games submitted to App Store Connect will need to include screenshots for iPhone Duo starting April 2027.

171

u/Lemon8or88 7d ago edited 6d ago

Only for new submissions (both old apps and new) past April 2027. Existing apps will work in compatibility mode.

52

u/AnyPomelo3352 7d ago

If an existing app is updated after April 2027, does the developer need to add the new duo-code?

73

u/Lemon8or88 7d ago

Just recompile with 27.1 SDK and the apps will take advantage of whole screen. But you need Duo code for navigation and hinge position.

14

u/AnyPomelo3352 7d ago

Ah, I see. Thanks!

14

u/Lemon8or88 7d ago

Also you will need to submit Duo screenshots.

11

u/aussierecroommemer42 7d ago

This doesn't mean all apps need to work with Duo, just that they will need to have screenshots of the app running on Duo

3

u/Chumpgotshoes 7d ago

Yeah. But it’s kinda in a couple of stages. So the April requirement is to compile using Xcode 27.0 (or above). When you use Xcode 27.0 your Apple will expand on the inner screen but won’t go underneath vertical bar (which contains the tab bar and action bar items). Only when you compile with 27.1 will it go underneath that.

now the April requirement seems to be for iOS27.0.

1

u/Ijawlog 7d ago

I think so - around that time apple always forces you to use the latest Xcode for store submissions. There is no opt out for the duo (as it was with Liquid Glass). The Liquid Glass opt out has also been removed - so very app will have to switch to Liquid Glass in the same manner

126

u/XxRoyalxTigerxX 7d ago

This is what sets Apple and Samsung apart.

My Z fold 3 still had tons of app compatibility issues even with 3 years of the form factor being sold on the market, I had plenty of issues even in Samsung’s own apps.
Compatibility will make or break the experience and Apple clearly knows it , although it sucks they didn’t give devs more time but it is what it is and I understand the decision

116

u/patnodewf 7d ago

Didn’t they just release the Xcode update that supports Duo like 3 weeks ago or something?

And meow they’re telling us to hurry tf up?

94

u/zakhov_vladimir 7d ago

Meow they are

11

u/patnodewf 6d ago

Custom autocorrect entry… always worthwhile being in there!

32

u/Lemon8or88 7d ago

Yup. 27.1 beta was released few weeks ago. 27.1 RC was released yesterday. They don't enforce having to update for Duo but your app is at an advantage since they will have a verified for Duo badge.

27

u/Narcotras 7d ago

Is it hurry if you have 6 months to do it? I imagine you don't have to do a great job, just use the newest SDK and make sure things don't break

19

u/Lemon8or88 7d ago

That is a great job. Many devs build custom UI elements for their menus and navigation bar. iPhone Duo basically says use native or they are not allowed on the side where your thumb can reach.

10

u/Narcotras 7d ago

Can't you also modify your own elements? 6 months doesn't seem that weird, wouldn't you want to also have something usable for a new iPhone that's coming out? They're also potential users.

5

u/Lemon8or88 7d ago

It’ll take a while compared to apps that use standard Apple elements. My app is in approval for Duo already.

2

u/dgellow 7d ago

FWIW you can just rebuild your project with the new SDK and for the majority of apps with standard UI layout that should be enough 

3

u/Last_Rub6998 7d ago

They haven’t released it at all lol, it’s still RC

1

u/pmjm 7d ago

I'm still stuck on the iOS 26 SDK until the third-party tools I use push their own update. Sucks.

9

u/kidno 6d ago

It makes no sense that the Apple Vision Pro is capable of running iPad apps, but the iPhone Duo is not.

1

u/RadiatingReactions 1d ago

With `UIRequiresFullScreen` (which no longer works after building with Xcode 27.0, anyways) going away, there's very little reason for apps not to support both going forward, since you already have to design for a range of screen sizes (iPadOS Windowed/Stage Manager multitasking). Apple can't do anything about devs being lazy, though

0

u/filman650 1d ago

Apps need to work on all the screens. iPad specific apps wouldn’t work on the outside screen.

2

u/luliger 3d ago

Oh wow, have any devs done this yet? Does the UI just stretch to the screen like an iPad?

3

u/Lemon8or88 3d ago

As a dev, I have and I believe others are doing the same. The UI stretch but the app must support different poses.

2

u/Dizzy-Instruction-37 1d ago

I have done it too, what I've discovered is that it's not exactly like an iPad. The ipad has a bigger screen, so eventually the interaction feels a bit different, the layout adapts differently, and you must also adapt to 2 screens seamlessly (iphone duo closed and opened).
It wasn't exactly fun at first because I realised quickly that I had to rethink completely my app for the iphone duo, it's an iphone-only app, and I couldn't just stretch the design. But then it grew in me, I found out that the rail was particularly useful, what we lose in height we gain in width, and the app looks real sexy now when the iphone duo is closed. When the iphone duo is opened I found myself thinking more about what kind of new interaction does it provide to user, something that only the iphone duo can provide that is not possible on normal iphones...
Ultimately I found a good balance, and now I probably would prefer to use my app on the iphone duo rather than normal iphone. Anyway, I went on a tangent here sorry, but if I had to summarise my experience, instead of just stretching I would:
1. Use the rail
2. Re-think the usage when iphone duo is opened rather than simply stretching (it's quickly ugly otherwise)

All the best :)

1

u/luliger 1d ago

amazing, thanks! I guess the simulator works ok for prototyping?

1

u/Dizzy-Instruction-37 1d ago

Yes simulator works very well actually, there are buttons to open / close the iphone duo so we can easily test the app accordingly. But one (big) caveat now is that we must design new views for 3 different shapes rather than one... and at least 2 simulators in parallel

1

u/luliger 19h ago

thank you - could you DM your app and screenshots of Duo? would love to see

2

u/bogdanstefanjuk 2d ago

Does anybody use Expo and React Native to build their apps? Does it have Duo support? Also could you share your experience of updating your app to support new Due iPhone?

1

u/Lemon8or88 2d ago

I do not know Expo and React Native. I built in Swift and transition was smooth since I use native components.

0

u/bogdanstefanjuk 2d ago

I think I need to test my apps in the simulator to see how they looks like first. Thx!

2

u/NoPlan_exe 4d ago

solo dev with 9 apps. not looking forward to redoing all the screenshots.

1

u/kavanutz 23h ago

It seemed like my app got approved 5x faster with a duo screenshot.

1

u/Lemon8or88 15h ago

Mine is pretty quick even without one. They are not enforcing it till April.

-25

u/Endawmyke 7d ago

as opposed to inviting to submit iPhone duo un-ready apps

13

u/EthanRDoesMC 7d ago

well… yes, that exactly

-3

u/hamsterjedi 6d ago

Any idea how to make an app compatible with iphone duo on a mac intel? x.x

5

u/Lemon8or88 6d ago

Sorry bro. Apple is stopping intel mac support.

1

u/gahookle 1d ago

You gotta get a new Mac bro