The Apple Design Award is one of the top honors given to apps that are available on the App Store. It is not only a recognition of exceptional design and user experience but also a seal of approval that signifies the quality and innovation that these apps possess. With around 2 million apps currently available on the App Store, getting recognized with an Apple Design Award is a huge achievement. In this blog, we will take a look at the Apple Design Awards and the winner of the Apple Design Awards 2023!
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What are Apple Design Awards?
The Apple Design Awards (ADAs) is an annual event held by Apple Inc. to recognize outstanding design and innovation in software and hardware applications for its platforms, including iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS.
Brief History of the Apple Design Awards:
The awards have evolved over the years, reflecting changes in technology and the company’s focus. Here’s a brief history of the Apple Design Awards:
First introduced at WWDC in 1997
The Apple Design Award was first introduced at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in 1997, which was held in San Jose, California. The awards were initially called the Human Interface Design Excellence (HIDE) Awards. The purpose of the award was to recognize the best software products that were being developed by the developers for the Mac operating system. The award was given to products that demonstrated exceptional design, innovation, and excellence in execution.
Rebranded as the Apple Design Awards in 2003
According to Wikipedia, in 2003, the HIDE Awards were rebranded as the Apple Design Awards. During this period, the awards expanded to include more categories, such as “Best Mac OS X Product,” “Best Mac OS X User Experience,” “Best Mac OS X Technology Adoption,” and “Best Mac OS X Open Source Product.”
Prestigious recognition for developers
Since then, the Apple Design Award has become an annual tradition at the WWDC, where Apple recognizes the best in iOS, watchOS, tvOS, and MacOS app design and innovation. The award is presented to apps that have innovative features, technical excellence, outstanding design, and usefulness and relevance to the App Store customers.
Apple Design Award 2023: 12 Best-in-Class Apps and Games
Inclusivity
Winners in this category provide a great experience for all by supporting people from a diversity of backgrounds, abilities, and languages.
App: Universe — Website Builder
Developer: Universe Exploration Company (United States)
Introduction: The Universe is a website builder that lets you choose a domain and set up shop in minutes. Make anything you want, anywhere in the world—from your phone, iPad, or Mac.
With Universe, you can get a website up and running in five minutes. To get started, just give your website a name, claim a domain (Universe will suggest alternates if yours is taken), and choose the type of site you’re building.
In terms of inclusive design, Universe integrates a large number of Apple accessibility features, among which the implementation of dynamic fonts and narration is particularly outstanding, supporting the construction of websites in more than 17 languages.
Game: stitch.
Developer: Lykke Studios (Thailand)
Introduction: Stitch. is a casual puzzle game with embroidery on a numbered grid. The main objective is to fill in the levels’ areas with no gaps to complete Hoops. It offers an expansive range of playable content and thousands of easy to extremely challenging levels. Pick the pattern, size, and category of the Hoop you prefer and move forward through the levels to create an embroidered masterpiece. Like any other form of art, hand embroidery brings you a peaceful, calming, and inspiring experience.
In terms of inclusive design, this game provides multi-language support, and it has specially designed custom accessibility options for users with color blindness, low vision, and motion sensitivity, and strives to allow various groups of people to play freely.
Finalists for this category include Passenger Assistance by TRANSREPORT, Anne by Alessandro Di Maio, Ancient Board Game Collection by Klemens Strasser, and Finding Hannah by Fein Games GmbH.
Delight and Fun
Winners in this category provide memorable, engaging, and satisfying experiences that are enhanced by Apple technologies
App: Duolingo
Developer: Duolingo, Inc. (United States)
Introduction: Duolingo is a fun, free app for learning 40+ languages through quick, bite-sized lessons. Practice speaking, reading, listening, and writing to build your vocabulary and grammar skills. Designed by language experts and loved by hundreds of millions of learners worldwide, Duolingo helps you prepare for real conversations in Spanish, French, Chinese, Italian, German, English, and more.
Apple pointed out that Duolingo’s redesign of the interface and content last year further gamified the learning experience, “effectively attracting users to linger and explore and persist in learning.”
In addition, Duolingo continues to introduce new language courses, including courses for endangered languages and indigenous languages.
Game: Afterplace
Developer: Evan Kice (United States)
Introduction: Afterplace is an adventurous indie game for mobile devices. It’s a huge open world, full of hidden secrets, treasures, and creatures. You’ll run around the woods, fight monsters, and talk to ostensibly shady characters!
Afterplace has been designed from the ground up to be a fast, fluid, beautiful experience for mobile. There are no virtual buttons. You can move and attack by touching anywhere. You can tap objects directly to interact or attack, or use two thumbs like a traditional controller. The game will adapt dynamically to your play style. Pick up and set down the game at your own pace, it will always save your progress. Afterplace is made to feel like a full-fledged indie adventure game that fits in your pocket.
Apple commented that although the style of Afterplace is nostalgic, the gameplay is very modern. The huge open world allows players to explore freely, interesting mysteries, hidden rewards, and sarcastic vending machines, and the fun details are not to be missed.
Finalists for this category include 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.
Interaction
Winners in this category deliver intuitive interfaces and effortless controls that are perfectly tailored to their platforms.
App: Flighty
Game: Railbound
Social Impact
Winners in this category improve lives in a meaningful way and shine a light on crucial issues.
App: Headspace
Game: Endling
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.
Game: Resident Evil Village
From creepy old castles to dilapidated factories to hideous villains, Resident Evil Village brings exceptionally realistic graphics to Apple devices.
Innovation
Winners in this category provide a state-of-the-art experience through the novel use of Apple technologies that set them apart in their genre.
Game: MARVEL SNAP
Build your deck of 12 cards. Each Card represents a Marvel Super Hero or Villain, each with a unique power or ability. The goal of the game is to outsmart and outwit your opponent. Learning how to play only takes a few minutes, and matches only take 3-minutes.
Apple hails this collectible card game as a genre-redefining masterpiece, thanks to its brisk gameplay and innovative “snap” mechanic that raises the stakes and adds exciting, new layers of strategy to the game. Dive into the world of MARVEL SNAP and discover what all the hype is about.
