These are the winners of Apple’s Design Awards for 2024
As it does every year Apple has announced the winners of its Apple Design Awards in the run up to WWDC. As you might expect, this year’s collection includes apps designed for the Vision Pro in a new “spatial computing” category. There are 14 winners in all.
What Apple says
“It’s inspiring to see how developers are using our technology to create exceptional apps and games that enhance the lives of users,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations.
“This year’s winners have demonstrated how apps can create powerful and moving experiences — and we’re excited to celebrate their hard work and ingenuity at WWDC this year.”
Many of the winning apps seem worth further exploration. I’m particularly impressed by oko, an app that alerts pedestrians to the state of signal lights through haptic and audio feedback which should be of immense benefit to blind or partially sighted pedestrians, but there are standout selections through this year’s collection.
And the winners are…
Winners are declared in several categories.
Delight and Fun
Winners in this category provide memorable, engaging, and satisfying experiences that are enhanced by Apple technologies.
App: Bears Gratitude
Developer: Isuru Wanasinghe (Australia)
Bears Gratitude is a simple way to encourage and embrace honest self-reflection. The journaling app provides a welcoming way to establish daily gratitude practices. Thoughtfully crafted characters within the app help create a sense of warmth and routine to support users in building happiness, one day at a time.
Game: NYT Games
Developer: The New York Times Company (United States)
Through a compelling mix of titles, NYT Games has redesigned its navigation and expanded its gaming catalog. New titles like Connections are calibrated for maximum replay value, with elegant design and ease of use that result in an experience that encourages everyone to join in on the fun.
Finalists for this category include Dudel Draw by Silly Little Apps, LLC; Hello Kitty Island Adventure by Sunblink Entertainment LLC; Rooms by Things, Inc.; and WHAT THE CAR? by Triband ApS.
Inclusivity
Winners in this category provide a great experience for all by supporting people from a diversity of backgrounds, abilities, and languages.
App: oko
Developer: AYES (Belgium)
By alerting pedestrians to the state of signal lights through haptic and audio feedback, oko is an immediately impactful app for people who are visually impaired. It is a powerful solution to a critical safety scenario that takes advantage of Apple technologies including VoiceOver and Dynamic Type.
Game: Crayola Adventures
Developer: Red Games Co. (United States)
A colorful adventure game that offers a wide range of creation options for all players, Crayola Adventures brings to life character choices that include different skin tones, abilities, body types, pronouns, and full game narration. All ages can enjoy this delightful game experience, offering a mix of activities that include making decorations, solving puzzles, and reading storybooks.
Finalists for this category include Complete Anatomy 2024 by Elsevier, quadline by Kovalov, Tiimo by tiimo ApS, and Unpacking by Humble Bundle.
Innovation
Winners in this category provide a state-of-the-art experience through novel use of Apple technologies that sets them apart in their genre.
App: Procreate Dreams
Developer: Procreate (Australia)
Procreate Dreams is a stunning design tool that allows creatives of all kinds to create 2D animations using the extensive and familiar library of brushes, gestures, and PencilKit-enabled behaviors from the original Procreate. The controls are effortlessly intuitive, with support for both multitouch interactions and Apple Pencil. The app offers powerful animated effects, audio, and video to bring users’ creations and artwork to life.
Game: Lost in Play
Developer: Happy Juice Games (Israel)
Filled with endearing characters and fun minigames, Lost in Play offers players a charming adventure through childhood imagination with thoughtfully crafted puzzles. This point-and-tap journey features hand-drawn graphics, easy-to-learn interactions, and compelling gameplay that ignites a childlike sense of discovery throughout.
Finalists for this category include Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile by Activision Publishing, Inc.; Copilot Money by Copilot Money, Inc.; SmartGym by Mateus Abras; and Wavelength by Palm Court LLC.
Interaction
Winners in this category deliver intuitive interfaces and effortless controls that are perfectly tailored to their platform.
App: Crouton
Developer: Devin Davies (New Zealand)
Crouton provides users with a clean interface for stashing away recipes, creating grocery lists, and presenting step-by-step instructions in the kitchen. With its effortless series of interactions, Crouton lets users keep their focus on the counter rather than the screen.
Game: Rytmos
Developer: Floppy Club (Denmark)
Rytmos challenges players to solve puzzles by creating pathways using simple drag gestures, and every completed level adds a new element to an evolving song. The brightly conceived onboarding makes gameplay instantly clear, and the gestures are simple and fun, even when the game starts delivering more complexity.
Finalists for this category include Arc Search by The Browser Company of New York Inc; finity. by Seabaa, Inc.; Little Nightmares by Playdigious; and Procreate Dreams by Savage Interactive Pty Ltd.
Social Impact
Winners in this category improve lives in a meaningful way and shine a light on crucial issues.
App: Gentler Streak Fitness Tracker
Developer: Gentler Stories (Slovenia)
Gentler Streak aims to improve everyone’s lifestyles, no matter who or where they are. The app is powered by optimistic and encouraging reminders that factor in both physical fitness and mental wellbeing. Its health data is smartly organized and seamlessly integrated to help users thoughtfully track exercise, rest, and wellness. In a Monthly Summary view, users are shown how they are doing in relation to their history, emphasizing the focus on individual progression rather than comparison against others.
Game: The Wreck
Developer: The Pixel Hunt (France)
In the visual novel The Wreck, players follow alongside the story of Junon, a writer who is abruptly called to a hospital to make a life-changing decision that will impact her family forever. The game is eloquently written through deep and intimate narratives that reflect stressful situations, and invites players to think about their choices throughout a nuanced and powerful gameplay experience.
Finalists for this category include Ahead: Emotions Coach by ahead Solutions GmbH; Cityscapes: Sim Builder by MagicFuel Games; How We Feel by The How We Feel Project, Inc.; and The Bear by Mucks Games.
Visuals and Graphics
Winners in this category feature stunning imagery, skillfully drawn interfaces, and high-quality animations that lend to a distinctive and cohesive theme.
App: Rooms
Developer: Things, Inc. (United States)
Rooms offers users a blank slate for building imaginative scenes, a platform for cozy gaming, and a social space that offers interactions with thousands of other people’s creations. The rooms within the app are filled with delightful detail, and the app’s interactions, sounds, and visuals strike the balance between quirky and compelling.
Game: Lies of P
Developer: NEOWIZ (South Korea)
Lies of P is an imaginative adventure that reimagines a classic tale, allowing players to control a robotic puppet created by Geppetto, who must survive a battle march through a burned-out city to find his maker. The visuals showcase a world of beautiful textures, detailed lighting, and stunning effects, and visual customization options like MetalFX upscaling and volumetric fog effects on Mac let users style the game to their liking.
Finalists for this category include DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT by 505 Games (U.S.), Inc.; Honkai: Star Rail by COGNOSPHERE PTE. LTD.; Meditate by RhythmicWorks; and Sunlitt: Sun Position and Path by Nicolas Mariniello.
Spatial Computing
Winners in this category bring extraordinary craftsmanship to their exceptional spatial experiences.
App: djay pro – DJ App & AI Mixer
Developer: algoriddim GmbH (Germany)
djay is an entirely new way to interact with music in a spatial environment. With remarkable technical ingenuity and best-in-class immersion, djay brings users high-definition sound quality and endless creativity for music mixing. The app features high-quality turntables, a cool interactive effects panel, and an array of magnificently considered environments, from a nighttime desert scene to a space lounge populated by dancing robots.
Game: Blackbox
Developer: Shapes and Stories (United States)
Blackbox on Apple Vision Pro challenges users to think about every corner of the spatial canvas. Players are greeted by engaging puzzles and clever easter eggs at every turn. The game is filled with wonderful details, and every solution feels like learning a new magic trick as puzzles gently unfold around the player and curiosity is rewarded.
Finalists for this category include Loóna: Cozy Puzzle Games by Loona Inc.; NBA by NBA MEDIA VENTURES, LLC; Sky Guide by Fifth Star Labs LLC; and Synth Riders by Kluge Strategic Inc.
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