Sports v8.29.1
Does ESPN work on iPhone Duo?
Mostly. ESPN 8.29.1 is built with the iOS 27.0 SDK, so it fills most of iPhone Duo's inner display but leaves some space unused.
At a glance
- Inner display (7.6″)
- Partly adapted
- Outer display (5.4″)
- Works normally
- Built with
- iOS 27.0 SDK
- Version 8.29.1, read Oct 31, 2026
- iPad version
- Yes
- Layout already handles big screens
- Latest version
- v8.29.1
- Oct 29, 2026
- Duo in release notes
- Not yet
About ESPN
ESPN is made by Disney and first came out on the App Store in June 2009. It's #68 on today's US App Store top charts. It has 4,215,852 ratings on the US App Store, averaging 4.6 stars. Version 8.29.1 came out on Oct 29, 2026 and needs iOS 18.0 or later. It's free to download. Among the 27 health & fitness apps we track on the US App Store, 9 already fill the inner display, 4 are partly adapted and 14 still show black bars. By number of ratings, ESPN is #1 of them.
From its App Store listing:
All of ESPN. All in One Place. Introducing our brand-new streaming offering that gives you everything ESPN has to offer in one place. Get ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN on ABC content. Stream thousands of live events, studio shows, sports documentaries, and on-demand content from the ESPN networks. Get real-time scores, breaking news, expert analysis — all …
On the inner display
Built with the iOS 27 SDK, the app extends across most of the inner display, but some areas stay empty. It's usable, just not polished.
In Split View
iPhone Duo is the first iPhone that can show two apps side by side, and every app takes part — including ESPN. Open it on the inner display, then add a second app next to it. You can save the pair and come back to it later.
Duo-specific features
None confirmed yet. Duo-specific features include side toolbars, layouts that react to the fold, and content on the outer display while the app is open inside.
Evidence & history
App build,
Version 8.29.1 is built with the iOS 27.0 SDK
Apple gives apps built with the iOS 27.0 SDK more of the inner display, with some space left over.
- : Not confirmed yet → Black bars — built with the iOS 26.5 SDK
- : Black bars → Partly adapted — built with the iOS 27.0 SDK
Latest release notes
Version 8.29.1 · Oct 29, 2026
Multiview enables you to stream up to four live, curated events simultaneously on one screen within the ESPN App. Soccer Live Activities are now available! Stay close to the action with key plays and game stats for all the major soccer leagues + the NHL, NBA, and MLB. Verts now has dedicated sports, team, league, and player pages that make it easier to discover all related content.
Questions
Does ESPN work on iPhone Duo?
Mostly. ESPN 8.29.1 is built with the iOS 27.0 SDK, so it fills most of iPhone Duo's inner display but leaves some space unused.
Does ESPN work on the outer display?
Yes. iPhone Duo's 5.4-inch outer display behaves like a regular iPhone screen, so every iPhone app works there as usual.
Can I use ESPN in Split View on iPhone Duo?
Yes. On iPhone Duo every app can be placed side by side with another app on the inner display — developers don't need to opt in. How comfortable it feels at half width depends on the app's layout.
Why does ESPN have black bars on iPhone Duo?
Apps built with the iOS 26 SDK or earlier run in a phone-sized window on the inner display, and iOS 27 builds can still leave some space empty. The bars disappear once the developer rebuilds the app with the iOS 27.1 SDK — you only need to update the app.
When will ESPN fill iPhone Duo's inner display?
When its developer releases an update built with the iOS 27.1 SDK or later. We read the SDK of every new version of ESPN within about a day of its release and update this page.
What can I do about the black bars until then?
Use ESPN on the outer display, where it works like on any iPhone, or put it in Split View next to another app on the inner display so less of the screen goes unused.