An indie developer has created a virtual Sony Walkman app for Apple’s upcoming iPhone Duo, using the foldable phone’s hinge as part of the listening experience. Called Duo-Man, the app lets users open the device to choose music and insert a virtual cassette before closing it to begin playback.

The project was built with Bitrig’s iPhone Duo development environment and attracted significant attention after its creator shared a demonstration on X. Developer Vidit Bhargava said the app was designed to make interacting with digital music feel closer to using a classic cassette player.

How Duo-Man works on the iPhone Duo

Duo-Man displays the cassette interface on the iPhone Duo’s 7.6-inch inner screen. Users open the phone, select their music and place a virtual cassette into the player. Closing the device then starts playback, recreating the physical sequence associated with an older Walkman.

Bhargava also recorded button clicks and static from a real Walkman for the app. Those sounds are intended to make the virtual player feel more authentic rather than simply presenting a visual imitation of a cassette deck.

Planned music and Apple Pencil features

The version shown so far is a prototype, but Bhargava plans to turn Duo-Man into a full release following the response to the project. The finished app is expected to support Apple Music and locally stored files.

An Apple Pencil feature is also planned. It would let users “roll” the cassette loop, referring to a battery-saving trick associated with some physical Walkman use. Spotify support could be added later, although that depends on the app’s popularity.

Duo-Man wins attention before the phone launches

Duo-Man took second place at the Bitrig hackathon in San Francisco. Bhargava’s post showing the app had accumulated more than 2.1 million views, helping turn a hackathon project into a potential consumer app.

The project is notable because it uses a hardware feature that is normally associated with multitasking, screen space or portability as part of the interface itself. Instead of treating the hinge only as a way to open the phone, Duo-Man makes closing the device part of the playback control.

iPhone Duo launch timing

No release date has been announced for Duo-Man. The iPhone Duo itself is scheduled to open for pre-orders on Friday, October 16, with availability beginning October 23.

That timing gives Bhargava an opportunity to release the app alongside the foldable iPhone, but its availability and final feature set remain unconfirmed. For now, Duo-Man is a demonstration of how developers are experimenting with the iPhone Duo before the device reaches customers.