Apple has revealed the recipients of the 2023 App Store Awards, showcasing the top 14 applications and games across various categories. This year, the hiking and biking application AllTrails has been recognized as the best app for iPhone, while miHoYo’s Honkai: Star Rail has secured the title of iPhone Game of the Year. Other notable winners include the AI-enhanced editing tool Photomator, the action RPG Lies of P, and the curated film streaming service Mubi. A month prior, Apple had unveiled a list of 40 finalists based on their innovative and technical achievements for the annual awards.
AllTrails triumphed over strong contenders such as the language learning app Duolingo and the flight tracking application Flighty to earn the iPhone App of the Year designation. The app is well-known for providing detailed guides and maps for hiking trails around the globe. Similarly, Honkai: Star Rail stood out among rivals like the roguelike game Vampire Survivors and the retro RPG Afterplace to claim the best game title for the iPhone in 2023.
Honkai: Star Rail recognized as iPhone Game of the Year
Photo Credit: Apple
Apple CEO Tim Cook commented in a recent announcement, saying, “This year’s winners represent the limitless potential of developers to bring their visions to life, creating apps and games with remarkable ingenuity, exceptional quality, and purpose-driven missions.”
For the iPad, the digital makeup design application Prêt-à-Makeup has been named App of the Year. It features a Face Charts tool that aids makeup artists in planning and testing different looks. In the realm of gaming, the puzzle adventure game Lost in Play emerged victorious over competitors Eggy Party and Pocket City 2, securing the title of Best iPad Game for 2023.
On the Mac, the photo editing software Photomator was distinguished as App of the Year, while the critically acclaimed action RPG Lies of P took the title for the best game, facing off against ELEX II and Return to Monkey Island.
Lies of P awarded as the best Mac game
Photo Credit: Apple
Additionally, the fitness app SmartGym and the streaming platform Mubi have been acknowledged as the best apps for Apple Watch and Apple TV, respectively. On Apple Arcade, the cozy adventure game Hello Kitty Island Adventure has been selected as the top game.
Apple also honored five winners in the Cultural Impact category, which highlights apps and games that promote positive messages. The winners in this category include the digital toy room for kids Pok Pok, the accessibility app Proloquo, the surplus food sustainability app Too Good to Go, the meditative puzzle game Unpacking, and the coming-of-age hidden-object game Finding Hannah. The announcement noted that these winners encouraged users to learn and grow within inclusive and accessible environments, contribute to sustainability, and nurture connections across generations.
In a separate recognition, Apple named generative AI applications the trend of the year, citing an influx of AI-powered tools including chatbots and planners in the App Store over the last year. The tech giant remarked that, while many features are still developing, they provide users with firsthand opportunities to experience the technology and evaluate its potential benefits and drawbacks.
