Apple has unveiled the 45 finalists for the 2024 App Store Awards. Divided into 12 different categories, these awards acknowledge developers worldwide who, with their apps and games, enrich many lives through exceptional design, innovation, and excellent user experience. Let’s explore the various categories and meet this year’s top finalists.
iPhone - App of the Year:
- Kino: Turns home videos into cinematic masterpieces with advanced editing tools.
- Runna: Offers personalized training plans for runners, adapting to various skill levels.
- Tripsy: Efficiently organizes trips, keeping travelers stress-free with clear itineraries and planning tools.
iPhone - Game of the Year:
- AFK Journey: Immerses us in fantasy worlds with epic battles and an engaging narrative.
- The WereCleaner: A game with a humorous and creative twist, where cleaning and adventure unexpectedly merge.
- Zenless Zone Zero: Offers an immersive experience in a post-apocalyptic world with complex narratives and continuous action.
iPad - App of the Year:
- Bluey: Let’s Play: An interactive game based on the popular TV series, ideal for children's and family entertainment.
- Moises: Enhances musical practice with AI-powered tools that help musicians refine their technique.
- Procreate Dreams: A drawing and animation tool that lets us easily bring our artistic creations to life.
iPad - Game of the Year:
- Assassin’s Creed Mirage: In this game, you become a young assassin in the vibrant city of Baghdad during the Golden Age of Islam. Explore a richly detailed world full of intriguing stories and challenging missions.
- Disney Speedstorm: An exciting racing game featuring iconic Disney characters on various tracks.
- Squad Busters: This game forms teams or "squads" to compete in colorful and friendly battles.
Apple Arcade - Game of the Year:
- Balatro+: Reinvents card games with a unique and thrilling experience.
- Outlanders 2: A strategy and building game that invites us to create and manage our own community in a picturesque and detailed world. Its new version brings updated graphics and creatively designed levels.
- Sonic Dream Team: Brings new adventures of Sonic and his friends, maintaining the classic charm with modern touches.
Mac - App of the Year:
- Adobe Lightroom: Facilitates photo editing with powerful tools and AI-driven features.
- OmniFocus 4: Enhances task management with a simplified interface and powerful organizational features.
- Shapr3D: Revolutionizes 3D design with intuitive tools and advanced hardware compatibility.
Mac - Game of the Year:
- Frostpunk 2: This renewed version expands the city-building genre with survival elements in extreme climates.
- Stray: In this game, we explore a dark and mysterious world from the unique perspective of a stray cat. As we progress, we must solve puzzles and uncover the hidden story behind this forgotten place.
- Thank Goodness You’re Here!: A humor game that offers a playful and somewhat absurd experience.
Apple Watch - App of the Year:
- LookUp: Enhances vocabulary daily with easy-to-understand definitions and examples.
- Lumy: Helps users connect with the natural cycles of the sun and moon.
- Watch to 5K: Motivates novice runners to reach a 5K running goal with a progressive training plan.
Apple Vision Pro - App of the Year:
- JigSpace: Simplifies the understanding of 3D and augmented reality models.
- NBA: Transforms how fans experience basketball games, offering enhanced viewing with real-time stats, on-demand replays, and exclusive camera angles.
- What If…? An Immersive Story: Allows players to explore alternate stories in the Marvel universe.
Apple Vision Pro - Game of the Year:
- Loóna: Offers relaxing puzzles to help users achieve peace and tranquility.
- THRASHER: A visually stunning game that introduces us to an alien world where we can explore exotic landscapes and face unique challenges filled with adventure and mysteries.
- Vacation Simulator: Takes players to exotic destinations filled with fun activities and comical characters.
Apple TV - App of the Year:
- DROPOUT: Provides a vast collection of comedies and entertainment programs.
- F1 TV: Offers total immersion in Formula 1 races.
- Zoom: Facilitates meetings and group connections wherever we are.
Cultural Impact Finalists:
- Arco: Allows players to shape their own narrative in the game, making decisions and experiencing different outcomes and final results.
- The Bear: This app turns bedtime for children into a soothing and comforting experience.
- BetterSleep: Helps improve sleep quality with relaxing sounds and stories.
- Brawl Stars: A fast-paced action game where we must compete in teams to complete objectives or be the last survivor, all in a colorful and dynamic environment.
- DailyArt: An educational app that offers a daily dose of art.
- EF Hello: An language learning app that uses artificial intelligence to personalize the educational experience.
- NYT Games: Offers a variety of puzzles and word games, including the famous New York Times crossword.
- Do You Really Want to Know 2: Addresses misconceptions about HIV through a heartfelt interactive story.
- Oko: This app is designed to help people navigate street crossings more safely.
- Partiful: Simplifies event and meeting planning, allowing users to organize and manage invitations and attendance efficiently.
- Pinterest: An inspiration platform where we can discover new ideas on a wide range of topics from interior design to recipes and crafts.
- The Wreck: A narrative game with cinematic elements and a poignant story where our decisions as a player are key.
Each of these applications and games has been chosen for having a significant impact on their users, whether providing entertainment, education, inspiration, or even safety in innovative and surprising ways, standing out in both technological aspects and creativity. The winners of this year's App Store Awards in each category will be announced soon.
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