The year 2024 was particularly rich in innovations on the App Store, and Apple has just revealed its selection of the best applications and games. Between boundless creativity, social utility and technical prowess, these 17 winners perfectly illustrate the excitement of iOS development. This year also marks the arrival of a new category dedicated to Vision Pro. Here are the winners!
Award-winning apps in detail
Like every year, Apple rewards applications on each of its platforms by distinguishing games from other apps. A “social impact” prize is also awarded to certain applications having a major cultural attraction in society.
Apps of the year:
- iPhone app of the year : Kino, a sophisticated photo application that transforms your photos into real cinematographic works thanks to filters and advanced controls inspired by the 7th art.
- iPad app of the year : Moises, an AI-powered music studio to separate audio tracks, isolate instruments and analyze chords for optimized musical learning.
- Mac app of the year : Adobe Lightroom, the benchmark tool for professional photo editing, offering powerful editing capabilities and optimal management of RAW files.
- Vision Pro App of the Year : What If…? An Immersive Story, an interactive narrative experience in the Marvel universe fully exploiting the capabilities of spatial computing.
- Apple Watch App of the Year : Lumy, a smart companion that tracks solar cycles to help you capture the best natural light for your photos.
- Apple TV app of the year : F1 TV, an immersive application offering multiple viewing angles, real-time data and replays for Formula 1 fans (unavailable in France).
Games of the year:
- iPhone Game of the Year : AFK Journey, a tactical RPG with strategic combat and rich storytelling in a captivating fantasy universe.
- iPad Game of the Year : Squad Busters, a dynamic multiplayer game from Supercell mixing action and strategy with a pronounced social aspect.
- Mac Game of the Year : Thank Goodness You’re Here!, a humorous adventure where players improvise absurd situations in crazy scenarios.
- Vision Pro Game of the Year : THRASHER: Arcade Odyssey, an innovative space gaming experience transporting players to colorful cosmic worlds.
- Apple Arcade Game of the Year : Balatro+, a creative reinvention of traditional card games with unique roguelike mechanics.
Cultural Impact Prize:
- Oko: An innovative solution using augmented reality to guide visually impaired people in their urban travel with precision and safety.
- EF Hello: A language learning platform using AI to personalize lessons and facilitate conversational practice.
- DailyArt: A daily dose of artistic culture presenting significant works with their historical context and anecdotes.
- NYT Games: A collection of games from the New York Times, including the famous Wordle, promoting social connections and daily intellectual challenge.
- The Wreck: An emotional interactive story exploring the psychological mechanisms facing personal crises with cinematic narration.
- Do You Really Want to Know? 2: A sensitive educational application addressing life with HIV, providing information and resources for dialogue with those around you.
This 2024 selection perfectly illustrates the evolution of applications towards greater social utility and technological innovation. From artistic creativity with Kino to accessibility tools like Oko to immersive experiences on Vision Pro, these apps push the boundaries of what’s possible on Apple devices. By the way, it is quite surprising that Apple has selected so few AI applications when the year 2024 has been rich in this sector.
This year’s focus on cultural impact also demonstrates the growing importance of apps in improving daily life, education and social inclusion. In this sense, Tim Cook declared:
We’re excited to honor this impressive group of developers who are harnessing the power of Apple devices and technology to deliver experiences that enrich users’ lives and have a profound impact on their communities
These awards confirm the central role of the App Store as a catalyst for meaningful and socially responsible innovations. In any case, this is the direction that Apple is giving its store.
