Pokémon GO on iPhone Duo

iPhone Duo meets Pokémon GO's published iOS and model requirements on paper, but as of Nov 10, 2026, neither Scopely, which now publishes the game, nor Apple has said how Pokémon GO uses the Duo's 7.6-inch inner display. The game's App Store listing asks for iOS 15.0 or later and doesn't mention iPhone Duo. Nothing here comes from testing; it's based on what Scopely, Apple and Nintendo have published.

Who makes Pokémon GO now?

Scopely closed its $3.5 billion purchase of Niantic's games business on May 29, 2025, PocketGamer.biz reports, and the App Store lists Scopely Explore, Inc. as the seller. Some of Niantic's old help links now redirect to Scopely Explore's help center, home of the official device rules.

That page asks for iOS 15 or above, an iPhone 6s or later, 2GB or more of RAM, and GPS with Location Services. Apple doesn't list the Duo's RAM on its spec page. The help center also warns the app may not work on iOS betas, such as the iOS 27.3 beta.

Does Pokémon GO support the inner screen?

Not officially, as far as anything published shows. The current version, 0.435.2, arrived on Nov 9 with release notes that only point players to in-game News, per the App Store listing. Pokémon GO also isn't among the more than 50 apps Apple highlighted as optimized for the Duo in October.

Apple's developer guide for iPhone Duo says apps built with Xcode 26 and earlier don't extend under the status bar and camera. MacRumors reports that apps built with the iOS 26 SDK or earlier sit in the center of the inner display with empty space on each side, iOS 27 SDK apps fill most of it, and apps built with the iOS 27.1 SDK or later can carry the "Made for iPhone Duo" App Store label.

Scopely hasn't said which SDK Pokémon GO uses, and we haven't found a major outlet that has described its layout on the Duo. Apple says both displays share the same aspect ratio.

AR+ and AR mode

Scopely's AR mode help page says AR works on iPhone 6s and newer models running iOS 11 or later, and you can turn it on in Settings. AR+ is built on Apple's ARKit, TechCrunch reported when it arrived in December 2017. iPhone Duo, with an A20 Pro chip and iOS 27 per Apple's spec page, clears that bar on paper, though Scopely's page doesn't name it.

Battery, GPS and walking

Apple hasn't published a battery figure for games or GPS use on iPhone Duo. Its spec page lists up to 24 hours of typical use, based on equal use of both displays, and up to 44 hours of video playback on the outer display versus 31 hours on the inner one.

The App Store listing warns that background location use can drain the battery. The in-game Battery Saver setting turns the display off while the phone points downward and keeps tracking distance, Scopely says. For location, Apple lists dual-frequency GPS and a digital compass.

More on battery: how to extend iPhone Duo battery life.

Adventure Sync

Adventure Sync records distance while Pokémon GO is closed by connecting to Apple Health, according to Scopely. It needs Trainer Level 5 or above and location permission, and you turn it on from Main Menu > Settings > General > Adventure Sync.

Scopely's troubleshooting page says Location Services must be set to Always, and that a phone's battery saving mode can disable the sensors Adventure Sync relies on.

Pokémon GO Plus + and the Explorer Gadget

Scopely's supported-devices page says Bluetooth accessories such as Pokémon GO Plus + need an iPhone 7 or later. Nintendo says the accessory uses Bluetooth Low Energy to link with Pokémon GO and Pokémon Sleep, and its July 2023 product announcement lists a regular price of $59.99 (as of Nov 10, 2026); retailers vary. With Bluetooth 6 per Apple's spec page, the Duo should qualify on paper, but neither company names iPhone Duo. The limitation: it does nothing on its own, without the app on a paired phone.

The game also has a built-in option: the Explorer Gadget catches Pokémon and spins PokéStops while the app isn't open, for Trainers at level 20 or higher, using only standard Poké Balls and stopping at a daily limit. It can't be active at the same time as Pokémon GO Plus +, per the Explorer Gadget update.

Bottom line

On paper, iPhone Duo clears the requirements Scopely publishes, but there's no Duo-specific support to point to yet. How the game uses the inner display is the open question, and we'll update this guide if Scopely ships a Duo-optimized build. Meanwhile, see the best games on iPhone Duo, game controllers for iPhone Duo and the best apps for the outer screen.