Toni Hobrecht
Apple today announced the top 12 apps and games, the winners of the annual Apple Design Awards. The awards each go to an app and a game in six different categories. These include inclusivity, delight and fun, interaction, social impact, visuals and graphics, and innovation.
“Apps and games are integral to how we live, work, and play. At Apple, we love to recognize outstanding developers whose apps reflect incredible creativity and design excellence. […] We want to celebrate each of this year’s Apple Design Award winners for crafting thoughtful app experiences and compelling gameplay, empowering and entertaining users everywhere.”
Susan Prescott, Apple Vice President of Worldwide Developer Relations
Inclusivity
App: Universe — Website Builder
Developer: Universe Exploration Company (United States)
Universe promises that everyone can build their own website with the app. Be it pages for online shops, artist profiles, community groups or even a personal web presence. Dynamic text and VoiceOver are also available.
Game: stitch.
Developer: Lykke Studios (Thailand)
Stitch introduces users to the calming and meditative art of embroidery. As the game progresses, the patterns become more and more complex, while the background music remains pleasantly calm. Also on board is multi-language support and accessibility features for people with color blindness, low vision and visual responsiveness.
Delight and Fun
App: Duolingo
Developer: Duolingo, Inc. (United States)
People have been able to learn a foreign language with Duolingo for over ten years. In the new version there are additional courses for endangered, indigenous and fictional languages. The growing language catalog, the funny characters and the playful experience with missions, challenges and rankings ensure long-term motivation.
Game: Afterplace
Developer: Evan Kice (United States)
The retro pixelated adventure Afterplace combines indie RPG fun with nostalgia and dry humor. It’s designed with love for mobile devices and lets you control it with swipe and tap instead of virtual buttons. Plus, Afterplace offers quirky surprises, hidden rewards, and more.
Interaction
App: Flighty
Developer: Flighty LLC (United States)
Flighty informs users with detailed flight maps, airport directions and expected delays. In addition, there is an intuitive user interface and extensive live maps. The app also integrates Siri Shortcuts, Apple Maps, Live Activity and more to help travelers at every step of their way.
Game: Railbound
Developer: Afterburn (Poland)
Railbound impresses with its simplicity, including the introduction, which completely dispenses with words, periods and navigating in menus. Clever game design makes it easy to undo and change mistakes. Chic animations and colorful graphics make Railbound a polished puzzle game.
Social Impact
App: Headspace
Developer: Headspace (United States)
With thoughtful design and minimalist operation, Headspace makes mindfulness accessible to everyone. You can let different voices guide you through the extensive content of the app, which caters to different needs. From long and guided sessions to a five minute breather. The Apple Watch integration also ensures that mindfulness is always within reach.
Game: Endling
Developer: HandyGames (Germany)
In this side-scroller, you take on the role of a mother fox navigating a land devastated by environmental disasters and human influence. The simple controls of the game ensure that the story is always the focus of the gameplay.
Visuals and Graphics
App: Any Distance
Developer: Any Distance Inc. (United States)
Any Distance is a workout tracker with shareable and dynamic graphics. The app uses Live Activity and Apple Watch integrations to collect and present fitness data. This includes not only traditional workouts like running and cycling, but also wheelchair training, running and walking with a stroller or riding a recumbent bike.
Game: Resident Evil Village
Developer: CAPCOM Co., Ltd. (Japan)
This horror adventure impresses with its visual details, which are fully accentuated by the performance of Apple chips, ProMotion, Metal 3 and the extended dynamic range. From the haunted castle to the derelict factory buildings, Resident Evil Village’s graphics contribute to one of the most realistic and atmospheric gaming experiences yet on a Mac.
Innovation
App: SwingVision: A.I. Tennis App
Developer: SwingVision Inc. (United States)
With artificial intelligence and the Neural Engine, SwingVision becomes a tennis coach that can be used to improve all aspects of the game. The app’s advanced video tracking capabilities are unique in helping you assess your form, identify strengths and areas for improvement. Data is not only captured via the camera, but also through the Apple Watch integration.
Game: MARVEL SNAP
Developer: Second Dinner (China)
With fantastic animation and great feel, MARVEL SNAP brings the personalities of the various Multiverse characters to mobile. The trading card game offers fast gameplay and an innovative “snap” mechanic.
