One of the best reasons to get the iPhone Duo over an Android foldable is the app selection. Yes, already. It’s clear that developers have been preparing for this device, as there are lots of apps that have been optimized for Apple’s first foldable.
And I’m not just talking about two-column layouts that look better on the Duo’s big 7.6-inch screen. Apps like Netflix put playback controls on the bottom half of the screen in “seated” mode, and there are some really fun and ingenious examples of what foldable-first apps should look and feel like, from music to games.
Now that I’ve been living with Apple’s $2,000 device for a week, here are my favorite iPhone Duo apps so far.
Slack
I put Slack at the top of my list because it’s the app I use most often. The app uses a handy two-column layout that puts your rooms and contacts on the left and your messages on the right. You’ll find the controls on the right side, including Home, Direct Messages, Notifications and Search. You can also remove the left pane from the menu at any time. The Cover Display view is a bit cluttered and I wish it was easier to hide the keyboard, but overall this is a good app.
TikTok
My famous time waster just got even more addictive. TikTok has an optimized app for iPhone Duo that lets you seamlessly scroll videos on the cover display and have a super immersive viewing experience in portrait mode on the main screen. Want to check out comments? Flip over to landscape and you can read them on the right while doom scrolling on the left. The only thing missing are controls on the right, which I’m assuming is imminent with an update.
UnGodly
If you’re looking for a 3D action game that makes full use of the iPhone Duo’s A20 chip and massive 7.6-inch screen, this is it. UnGodly is a fantasy action RPG that lets you play as multiple characters as you battle. I had a blast swinging swords, launching lightning attacks and hurling fire at my enemies. And the graphics look great on the iPhone Duo, complete with complex lighting effects and reflections.
I give Meta credit for being one of the first developers out with fully optimized Duo apps. That includes Instagram, Facebook and Threads. I like Instagram best because it offers an immersive video experience on the front display as you scroll. And on the inside display you can turn the Duo to portrait mode for watching vertical video or go landscape. The comments load on the right side and stay there as you keep scrolling.
Deck-Man
The Deck-Man app proves that developers can have fun with the iPhone Duo’s foldable design. The app transforms your device into a 1980s-style Walkman. With the iPhone Duo open you choose your music via virtual cassette tapes (it syncs with Apple Music), and when you close the phone the front screen shows the cassette spinning along with playback controls. Put the Duo in tent mode and you can flip through thumbnails of your music collection. It’s a very slick design.
YouTube TV
Technically YouTube TV isn’t yet fully optimized for the iPhone Duo, because the controls aren’t on the right side yet, leaving a sliver of blank space on the right side of the screen. I don’t care. Once you start watching your favorite shows — it’s First Take on ESPN for me — they take up the full screen. Even better, you can watch up to four shows and/or movies at once with the Multiview feature. I also like that you can continue watching in tent mode, perfect for when I’m grilling and need to keep my hands free.
Spotify
Spotify is one of my favorite iPhone Duo apps because it takes (nearly) full advantage of the big display. You get an expansive view of your music collection along with recommended stations and a dedicated mini player that pops up on the right side. The menu items have not yet moved to the far right, leaving a blank space. I’d also like to see a tent mode view added once Spotify fully optimizes this app.
Perplexity
Perplexity is an AI app that I generally trust for direct answers to my questions, complete with citations. You can use Deep Research for projects and there’s a built-in assistant for doing things for you like drafting emails and booking reservations. The two-column layout looks snazzy on the iPhone Duo’s main display. I asked for the key differences between the iPhone Duo and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and got a helpful and unbiased guide along with a handy table.
Netflix
There’s a reason Apple showed off Netflix at the iPhone Duo launch event. The app was built from the ground up for this foldable. The cover display is great for scrolling through mobile Clips. And on the main display you can watch movies and shows full screen or use the phone half-folded in tabletop mode with the content up top and controls below. The colors from the top part reflect on the bottom, which is a nice touch.
OpenTable
OpenTable is a beautifully designed iPhone Duo app that’s guaranteed to make you hungry. When clicking on restaurants you’ll see wide photos that stretch across the big screen, and the available times up top. The Notify Me feature sends an alert when a last-minute table opens up at a popular spot. The controls on the right side look just as good on the main display as on the cover display.
Carrot Weather
If you like your weather apps with a bit of personality, Carrot Weather will not disappoint. You can choose from Professional, Friendly, Snarky and more. But it’s the slick layout that keeps me coming back for more. There’s multiple widgets to help you keep tabs on the weather at a glance, including hourly and 7-day forecasts, UV index, Sunset and more. And you can even customize the layout.
Gemini
I think Gemini looks pretty good on the iPhone Duo, though it’s not fully optimized yet and has a weird bug. But first the good news. You get a two-column layout that shows the main menu on the left (Library, Images, Gems, etc), as well as your recent history, and the main chat window on the right. My only issue is that the button for going live with your camera gets covered up on the large screen due to overlapping menus. It’s better to access that option from the front screen for now.
PianoFold
PianoFold is what happens when developers take full advantage of the iPhone Duo’s foldable nature. You can play with the screen fully open in flat mode, but the game feels more immersive in laptop (folded) mode. The goal is to hit the bars on the bottom display just as the colorful notes fall from the top portion. And, yes, you can choose a realistic keyboard instead. I found the game quite challenging, and it helps that the Duo has great speakers.
Airmail
Airmail is a great alternative to Gmail, and right now it’s a better looking email app for the iPhone Duo. This Apple Design Award winner lets you sync Gmail, Outlook, Exchange and more into a single inbox. The two-column layout is easy to navigate, and it’s a cinch to clean out your inbox with customize swipes.
Battlefleet Duo
You sunk my Battleship! Get ready for the nostalgic feels to come flooding back with Battlefleet Duo, an app that mirrors the classic board game. In tabletop mode you position your ships on the bottom part of the display and launch your attacks on the top, watching as your missiles fire across the water. When you miss, you’ll just hear a splash, but when you get a direct hit you’ll see and feel an explosion. It’s simple and it’s a blast.