Apple's foldable is almost here, and app makers are on the clock. Apple said Monday that apps optimized for the iPhone Duo can now be submitted for App Store review, MacRumors reported. The phone launches Friday, Oct. 23.

Existing apps will run on the Duo automatically. But only apps built with Apple's iOS 27.1 developer tools can stretch to fill the full inner display. Apps that are not updated will show black bars around the edges. For buyers, that means some favorite apps may look boxed in on day one.

The Duo is only one piece of a busy month. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple plans an event on Tuesday, Oct. 13, to unveil a smart home hub with a screen, a new HomePod mini and an updated Apple TV, according to 9to5Mac. "All three devices will have Siri AI at the core," Gurman wrote.

MacRumors says it has learned of a second set of launches in the final week of October. It does not know which products. It guessed new Macs are most likely, including rumored OLED "MacBook Ultra" laptops and an M6 iMac. Those are unconfirmed. Apple has already said a high-end Mac Studio with an M5 Ultra chip and 512GB of memory will ship in "late October."

A new iPad mini with an OLED screen is also rumored for this month, though its timing is unclear, MacRumors reported.

The last Apple event, nearly a month ago, introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone Duo, 9to5Mac noted. It also pointed out that Apple now has a new chief executive, John Ternus, which could change how the company stages launches. If an Oct. 13 event is real, 9to5Mac expects press invitations within a day or so.

What we know: iPhone Duo apps can be submitted now, and the phone ships Oct. 23.
What we don't: Whether Apple will hold a live event on Oct. 13 or simply post press releases.