November 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE
Apple reveals the winners of the App Store Awards, the best apps and games of 2023
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced the winners of the 2023 App Store Awards, recognizing 14 apps and games that have allowed users to unleash their creativity, discover a world of new adventures, and have fun with family and friends. This year’s winners include developers from around the world, whose apps and games have been selected by the App Store editorial team to deliver meaningful user experiences and inspire cultural change. App Store Award winners are selected from among nearly 40 finalists for delivering exceptional technical innovation, user experience and design.
“It’s inspiring to see the ways developers continue to create incredible apps and games that redefine the world around us,” said Tim Cook, Apple CEO. “This year’s winners represent the limitless potential of developers to bring their visions to life, creating apps and games with exceptional ingenuity, exceptional quality and purpose-driven missions.”
This year’s winners demonstrate the scope of creativity, technical innovation and design possible in the App Store and Apple’s ecosystem. AllTrails nurtures community through comprehensive trail guides and outdoor exploration for all. Ready for makeup offers a realistic makeup drawing pad on the iPad for professional artists and casual users, while encouraging inclusivity and self-expression. Photographer tools powered by machine learning make advanced editing tasks streamlined and seamless. IN THE BAD nurtures exceptional indie films with a human touch and SmartGym shines on Apple Watch with its comprehensive collection of exercises, routines and robust fitness reports.
In the games category, Honkai: Star Railway guides players through a narrative full of complex characters and tactically rich combat on the iPhone, while Lost in the game invites players to engage in a charming, childlike imagination during an epic point-and-click adventure. Lies P presents players with an exquisitely crafted dark fantasy world and Apple Arcade Adventure on Hello Kitty Island brings an immersive gaming world with the main goal of making it as sweet as possible: making friends.
2023 App Store Award Winners
applications
iPhone app of the year: AllTrails, by AllTrails, Inc.
iPad App of the Year: Prêt-à-Makeup, from Prêt-à-Template.
Mac App of the Year: Photomator, from the UAB Pixelmator team.
Apple TV App of the Year: MUBI, by MUBI, Inc.
Apple Watch App of the Year: SmartGym, by Mateus Abras.
Games
iPhone game of the year: Honkai: Star Rail, by COGNOSPHERE PTE. LTD.
iPad game of the year: Lost in Play, from Snapbreak Games.
Mac game of the year: Lies Well, from NEOWIZ.
Apple Arcade Game of the Year: Hello Kitty Island Adventure, by Sunblink.
Winners of cultural influence
In addition to recognizing the best apps and games on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV, Apple App Store Editors also selected five Cultural Impact winners, recognized for their ability to drive positive change through apps and games. This year’s winners encouraged users to learn and grow in an inclusive and accessible space, contribute to a more sustainable future, and explore self-reflection and intergenerational connection.
Pok Pok from Pok Pok
Designed with inclusivity in mind, Pok Pok is a digital toy room for children, offering a universal space for preschool children of all backgrounds and abilities to play, explore and see the world as one.
I speak by AssistiveWare
AssistiveWare has been a pioneer in application accessibility for over a decade I speak creates Augmented and Alternative Communication (AAC) tools that help the world communicate in new ways.
Too Good To Go by Too Good To Go
Too Good to Go enables users to minimize food waste by connecting them with restaurants and grocery stores that have excess unsold food at an affordable price.
Unpacking from Humble Bundle
Unpacking mixes meditative conundrums to create a soul-soothing triumph around familiar experiences of change and connection.
Searching for Hannah by Fein Games GmbH
Searching for Hannah is a colorful coming-of-age hidden object game with engaging and heartfelt stories that explore the power of healing and self-discovery.
Trend of the year
Applications are a reflection of culture, and in 2023, generative artificial intelligence captured the collective imagination of users and its evolution took place in real time. Apps began to integrate AI in a variety of ways over the course of the year. Although many of the features are still in their infancy, they have given users a chance to see the technology in action first-hand and come to their own conclusions about the benefits and risks. Along with this year’s App Store Award winners, App Store editors around the world highlighted a collection of generative AI apps that exemplify the Trend of the Year. Read more in App Store Editors.
The App Store, launched in 2008, is the most secure and vibrant app marketplace in the world. Currently home to 1.8 million apps and visited by over 650 million average weekly visitors in 175 countries and regions, the App Store is a driver of global economic growth, enabling $1.1 trillion in developer billings and sales in 2022. The App Store helps creators, dreamers, and students of all ages and backgrounds connect with the tools and information they need to build a brighter future and a better world.
About Apple
Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Apple’s five software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS — deliver seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with revolutionary services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. More than 100,000 Apple employees are dedicated to creating the best products in the world and leaving the world better than we found it.
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