The Apple Design Awards 2023 have been announced by the tech giant and the list of the winners gives insight into the interesting elements apps are adopting for a better user experience. Apple states that the awards are given for “excellence in innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement”.
The awards explore six different categories which include inclusivity, delight and fun, interaction, social impact, visuals and graphics, and innovation.
Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations, Susan Prescott stated that, “Apps and games are integral to how we live, work, and play. At Apple, we love to recognize outstanding developers whose apps reflect incredible creativity and design excellence,” and added that “We want to celebrate each of this year’s Apple Design Award winners for crafting thoughtful app experiences and compelling gameplay, empowering and entertaining users everywhere.”
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The winners were announced from 36 finalists who have been developing insightful app designs and features for the consumers in their space. So let’s get started with the list of winners at Apple Design Awards 2023.
This category celebrates the app’s support for a diversity of backgrounds and linguistic abilities.
a) App
Developer: Universe Exploration Company (United States)
Ranking on Apple Store: The app falls under the ‘Productivity’ category and currently ranks #61
Universe is a one-stop solution for building websites and creating a storefront in the most efficient way with features like Dynamic Type and VoiceOver.
b) Game
Developer: Lykke Studios (Thailand)
Apple describes the game to be calming and that it prompts meditative art for the users through the activity of embroidery.
Some of the finalists for this category are Passenger Assistance by TRANSREPORT, Anne by Alessandro Di Maio, Ancient Board Game Collection by Klemens Strasser, and Finding Hannah by Fein Games GmbH.
This category winners are said to have an engaging user experience which is enhanced by the technologies provided by the tech giant.
a) App
Developer: Duolingo, Inc. (United States)
Ranking on Apple Store: The app falls under the ‘Education’ category and currently ranks #1
The Duolingo app provides a range of courses for indigenous and endangered languages with a comprehensive learning algorithm.
b) Game
Developer: Evan Kice (United States)
Afterplace is a vintage pixel game that provides an intuitive one-handed control system with balancing nostalgia and dry humor.
Some of the finalists for this category were Creme by The CREME Group Inc., Chantlings by IORAMA, Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On! by GAME FREAK Inc., and Knotwords by Zach Gage and Jack Schlesinger.
Winners in this category include easy-to-use controls and intuitive user interfaces that are properly suited to their platform.
a) App
Developer: Flighty LLC (United States)
Ranking on Apple Store: The app falls under the ‘Travel’ category and currently ranks #20
Flighty makes travelling simple by placing essential information where it's most required, providing a user-friendly interface, and providing thorough live maps. To keep users informed at every stage of the journey, the app wisely incorporates Apple technology, such as Siri Shortcuts, Apple Maps, Live Activities, and more.
b) Game
Developer: Afterburn (Poland)
Railbound's interaction is delightfully simple, including the onboarding process, which conspicuously omits words, points, and menu navigation.
Some of the finalists for this category are Shuffles by Pinterest by Pinterest, Inc.; Tide Guide: Charts & Tables by Condor Digital LLC; Automatoys by Idle Friday LTD; and Kimono Cats by HumaNature Studios Inc.
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Winners in this category make a significant difference in people's lives and bring important concerns to light.
a) App
Developer: Headspace (United States)
Ranking on Apple Store: The app falls under the ‘Health and Fitness’ category and currently ranks #42
Headspace's creative designs are evident in its simple user interface, entertaining video content, and distinctive drawings, bringing mindfulness to the general public.
b) Game
Developer: HandyGames (Germany)
Players have the chance to develop an immediate sense of empathy for and a bond with the main character. Because of the straightforward controls, the gameplay keeps its emphasis on the tale instead of the interactions.
Some of the finalists for this category were Duolingo by Duolingo, Inc.; Sago Mini First Words by Sago Mini; Hindsight by Team Hindsight; and Beecarbonize by Charles Games s.r.o.
The impactful visuals, expertly crafted interfaces, and top-notch animations found in category winners contribute to a clear and unifying theme.
a) App
Developer: Any Distance Inc. (United States)
Ranking on Apple Store: The app falls under the ‘Health and Fitness’ category and currently ranks #20
The app makes full use of Apple Watch connections and Live Activities to collect and display fitness data, which can include not only more conventional workouts like running and cycling but also wheelchair exercise, stroller runs and walks and recumbent bike rides.
b) Game
Developer: CAPCOM Co., Ltd. (Japan)
With the help of Apple silicon, ProMotion, Metal 3, and enhanced dynamic range, this horror adventure game offers stunning visual detail. The graphics, according to the Apple survey, are realistic and atmospheric Mac games ever created, from the eerie castle to the run-down factories of Resident Evil Village.
The winners in this category stand out in their genre by using innovative Apple technology to deliver a cutting-edge experience.
a) App
Developer: SwingVision Inc. (United States)
Ranking on Apple Store: The app falls under the ‘Sports’ category and currently ranks #46
SwingVision is an artificially intelligent tennis coach that can assist with all facets of a player's game thanks to the combined abilities of Neural Engine and artificial intelligence. SwingVision's cutting-edge video-tracking features enable outstanding form evaluation, spotlight of strengths, and development suggestions.
b) Game
Developer: Second Dinner (China)
With animations and haptics in MARVEL SNAP perfectly captures the personality of each figure from the multiverse. Through its fast-paced gameplay and unique "snap" concept, which suddenly doubles the stakes and adds entirely new levels of strategy to the game, this collectible card game is reinventing the genre.
Some of the finalists for this category were Camo by Reincubate Ltd.; Rise: Energy & Sleep Tracker by Rise Science Inc.; Resident Evil Village by CAPCOM Co., Ltd.; and stitch. by Lykke Studios.