Apple releases iPhone Duo with optimized Netflix, Instagram apps

Apple released the iPhone Duo on October 23, 2026, and announced that a range of apps and services have been optimized for the device, according to k-tai.watch.impress.co.jp. Optimized apps carry a "Made for iPhone Duo" badge on the App Store.

Netflix switches video seamlessly from a portrait video on the outer display to a landscape video when the inner display is opened. Instagram shows more posts and stories at once on the iPhone Duo and offers a creative studio with timeline, editing tools and video on one screen.

Prime Video in Flex mode shows video in the top half of the display and X-Ray details in the bottom half. Paramount+ offers finer playback controls and browsing of shows and live channels, and the MLB app can show a live stream alongside real-time scores and stats on the bottom half of the display.

Microsoft Word and Outlook are to bring desktop-class experiences to the iPhone Duo via Split View within the coming weeks, Apple said. Zoom can show shared meeting content while also showing other participants on the same screen, and Slack displays the whole workspace.

Games are also covered: Asphalt: Legends supports online races against up to seven opponents, and Zenless Zone Zero is to add control layouts in an update next month that place controls so fast action can be played in any holding position. Apple Arcade titles offer casual play with the display closed and an immersive experience with it open.

Developer support

Apple has held more than 50 in-person workshops in 19 cities worldwide for developers building iPhone Duo experiences, with over 2,000 developers participating so far. New APIs in the iOS 27.1 SDK and Xcode's Device Hub let developers customize layouts and test multi-display apps. The iPhone Duo uses the A20 Pro chip and a custom-designed vapor chamber, which Apple says improves sustained performance by up to 35% compared with the iPhone 17 Pro.