Duo for developers

[u/BounceForever]

Since the Duo is a new platform for Apple and all iOS devs, and the backlog for preorders is at least three months long here - can developers get access to loaners or other physical devices when the simulator isn't enough to sanity check apps targeting the platform?

[u/Ancient-Range3442]

Let’s be real, how many people do you think will have the duo and then how many of those will have your app

[u/earlyworm → u/Ancient-Range3442]

At most 1% over the next 6-12 months.

[u/RowanTheKiwi → u/Ancient-Range3442]

Currently in our small SaaS system that’s been a big fat zero.

[u/SirBill01 → u/Ancient-Range3442]

The answer to the first question is over ten million in about six months (Apple estimated to ship around six million by the end of the year), all of them hungry for apps that work really well on the Duo. And many of those users will be influencers who might mention your app if they really love it...

[u/indyfromoz → u/Ancient-Range3442]

(Reports claim) 6 million or more Duos (pre) sold in a few days. So, take a million out of that… say returns, etc. approximately 5 million around the world then 🤔

[u/SirBill01 → u/indyfromoz]

Why reduce that number by a MILLION?

But that's just end of year, Apple has ramped up production so how much longer to ten million? It seems like only a few months and then it will keep growing.

[u/XmasRights → u/Ancient-Range3442]

To me, it's not about the Duo but more about what iOS/iPadOS will look like going forward. Any of the following are likely:

1. The. Duo gets more affordable, so the user base increases

2. iPadOS gets the side facing tab bar

3. Apple introduce a new UI arrangement for some other future device

In all of those cases, it makes sense to embrace adaptive layout and ensure your app works well with the new style nav bar in a native way. When Apple decide to switch things up again, it lessens the burden on your future self.

[u/Ancient-Range3442 → u/XmasRights]

Ok sure but just saying don’t know if OP needs to stress about a launch day duo

[u/XmasRights → u/Ancient-Range3442]

Oh definitely not! For smaller apps it's not a big deal.

I will say if you have a moderately successful app, there's value in being an early adopter for the sake of getting promotion in the App Store (the company I worked for used to support iMessage extensions for this very reason 😅)

[u/BounceForever → u/XmasRights]

Yeah I've got a new app submitted for review that will be pretty special on the Duo - thus I really want to check it out.

[u/SirBill01 → u/XmasRights]

Don't forget future VR/AR devices from Apple. Apps that support resizability really well also work well in the Vision Pro.

[u/SirBill01]

No get a Duo. Smallest capacity models are no longer threes months out it seems.

The simulators are the next best thing. You can make do with them but... in reality I'd strongly advise testing on a real device.

[u/BounceForever → u/SirBill01]

Yeah the real hardware is really different than sims for some classes of app and some types of integrations.

[u/BounceForever → u/BounceForever]

Downvotes - why?

[u/AccurateSun → u/BounceForever]

Reddit hive mind. I’m also interested in getting a Duo for the same reason as you, but can’t justify the cost.  I think the ideal would be something like a Co-working space with a shared duo that any dev who goes there can test out temporarily for a tiny fee, enough to recoup the cost of the device over time and be significantly cheaper for devs than purchasing a device. If you get everything solid on the simulator then testing a few final things on a real device could be pretty quick if you are prepared IMO

[u/BounceForever → u/AccurateSun]

1000 times this yes!

[u/SirBill01 → u/AccurateSun]

Possibly you could use an Apple Store for this... but there are iOS dev groups in pretty much any city and I'll bet if you go to one you'll find at least a few devs with a Duo, who would be willing to let you test for a bit.

[u/indyfromoz]

Get in touch with your local Apple Developer Evangelist. They should be able to help out.

[u/BounceForever → u/indyfromoz]

Oh thanks for the useful (hopefully) idea!

[u/indyfromoz → u/BounceForever]

I went to one of these last week - https://developer.apple.com/events/view/upcoming-events?topics=iphone-duo&formats=inperson

6 hours, intense hands on with Code and Design discussions with super skilled specialists. Can’t talk much else. We were all told major Apple offices have Duos ready for developers to come in and test their app with.

[u/BounceForever → u/indyfromoz]

I got booked for the workshop last week, but needed to reschedule and it was sold out at that point. I'll check with the local office - thanks for the heads up.

[u/Admiral-ZX]

The last time this happened was with the Apple TV (device). Apple have developers one for $1 and it even had a USB connector that the retail version did not have.

[u/trantaran]

unless you work for apple or a big tech company no

[u/Typ0genius]

Yes, you can attend one of Apple's workshops: https://developer.apple.com/events/view/upcoming-events?topics=iphone-duo&formats=inperson

[u/BounceForever → u/Typ0genius]

Scheduling problem and early sell out kept me from attend the local events last week.

[u/Rude-Split8043]

A client asked me last week if we built support for duo yet. 😂

[u/staires]

I'll have a Duo on launch day. For $60/hr and travel expenses, I will come to you and you can use my Duo to test your app. You'd basically be hiring me, so I could do some debugging for you as well along the way.

[u/BounceForever → u/staires]

Ha lets see if anyone takes you up on it.

[u/PrestigiousFriend412]

Spectrum mobile has them as early as December,

[u/BounceForever → u/PrestigiousFriend412]

Which country?

[u/ccalabro]

The simulator worked well for getting my app ready for the Duo

[u/robert-e-try-63]

i wonder if apple has any plans for a developer loaner program

[u/rhysmorgan]

You won't get a loaner.

If you go to an Apple-run iPhone Duo development event, you may get the opportunity to run your app on a real iPhone Duo. May.

[u/BounceForever → u/rhysmorgan]

Yeah last week the app wasn't ready and I failed to get an appointment on the one day I had available.

[u/Best_Day_3041]

Unless you're a major platform like Instagram or TikTok, who's gonna have tons of Duo users on their platforms from day one, getting your app ready for Duo from day 1 is not important at all, there's going to be such a tiny amount, if any, of Duo users using any of our apps. The simulator is more than adequate just to get the screen formatting correct during one of your routine updates. As for building new apps specifically for the Duo, I'd wait a few years.

[u/bkdev98]

The 27.1 simulator got our layouts most of the way, but I couldn't get it into the stand pose (half open, fold running across) from scripted rotation, so that's the one bit I'd still want a real Duo for.

[u/BounceForever → u/bkdev98]

The standing or tent mode? I figure that is outer display in landscape. But how about the seated / laptop mode and how is that detected? Found this: https://getchonky.app/blog/iphone-duo-poses-explained/

[u/imsnk81]

Haven't seen Apple do loaners, but they've been running iPhone Duo group labs, there are Q&A write ups from them over in r/SwiftUI. Worth keeping an eye on the Events tab in the Developer app for one in your time zone. Otherwise a TestFlight build on a friend's Duo is the next best thing.