Amidst a threat of “war” between Elon Musk and Apple, the latter has announced 16 apps it deems the best of the best this year. The spotlighted games and apps were selected by Apple’s global App Store editorial team for having “a meaningful impact”, according to Apple CEO Tim Cook.
“This year’s App Store Award winners reimagined our experiences with apps that delivered fresh, thoughtful, and genuine perspectives,” said Cook in a press release.
The crowned winner this year is BeReal, the social media app promising authenticity. The app’s popularity soared in 2022, as indicated by all its competitors who have attempted to mimic its functions. Apple rewarded BeReal as iPhone App of the Year.
For iPad App of the Year, Apple chose GoodNotes 5, the note-taking app which is currently ranked number one by users. The Mac App of the Year is MacFamilyTree 10, which allows users to discover and visualize their family histories. Other winners include ViX, a Spanish-language streaming app taking out the Apple TV category, and Gentler Streak, the Apple Watch App of the Year, an exercise and fitness tracker that prioritizes well-being.
In the gaming realm, Apple chose Apex Legends Mobile (iPhone Game of the Year), Moncage (iPad Game of the Year), Inscryption (Mac Game of the Year), El Hijo (Apple TV Game of the Year), Wylde Flowers (Apple Arcade Game of the Year). In a separate category, Apple chose League of Legends Esports Manage as China Game of the Year,, from Shenzhen Tencent Tianyou Technology Ltd.
In addition to its app awards, Apple selected five “Cultural Impact” winners, awarding the apps that have encouraged further engagement, paid homage to heritage, and platformed the importance of connecting with others. These winners are How We Feel, Dot’s Home, Locket Widget, Waterllama, and Inua – A Story in Ice and Time. At their core, the apps share the premise of creating change: How We Feel, for instance, helps users convey their emotions and place emphasis on well-being, while Dot’s Home takes a deep-dive into systemic housing issues and how this affects people of color.
