While the 2023 App Store Award winners include familiar and new titles, Apple dropped a bomb by highlighting titles that use generative artificial intelligence (AI).
Apple’s editorial team has cherry-picked fourteen apps and games of 2023 that provide users with “meaningful experiences and inspiring cultural change.”
CEO Tim Cook said in an Apple Newsroom post that this year’s winners were chosen for their “remarkable ingenuity, exceptional quality and purpose-driven missions.”
The Cupertino company said there are currently 1.8 million apps on the App Store, which facilitated $1.1 trillion in developer billings and sales in 2022.
Apple unveils the 2023 App Store Awards winners
Apple selected the following apps and games across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV categories as the best titles of 2023 from nearly 40 finalists.
The Best Apps of 2023
iPhone App of the Year: AllTrails
Apple says AllTrails nurtures community through comprehensive trail guides and outdoor exploration for everyone.
iPad App of the Year: Prêt-à-Makeup
This iPad app brings a true-to-life makeup sketchpad to casual suers and pro artists alike, while fostering inclusivity and self-expression.
Mac App of the Year: Photomator
Formerly Pixelmator Photo, the Photomator image editor packs a bunch of machine learning features that make complex editing tasks streamlined and seamless.
Apple TV App of the Year: MUBI
There aren’t many quality Apple TV apps on the App Store, and most of them are video apps anyway. Apple’s winner in this category, MUBI, curates indie films and international documentaries “with a human touch.”
Apple Watch App of the Year: SmartGym
On the Apple Watch, there’s no shortage of fitness apps. SmartGym has been available on the iPhone for several years, and its Apple Watch component impress the App Store editorial team enough to name it the Apple Watch App of the Year due to its comprehensive library of exercises, routines and robust fitness reporting.
The Best Games of 2023
iPhone Game of the Year: Honkai: Star Rail
Apple likes Honkai: Star Rail because this iPhone game takes you through a narrative full of complex characters and tactically rich combat.
iPad Game of the Year: Lost in Play
This uplifting point-and-click adventure sees a brother and sister trying to find their way home, with players challenged to solve puzzles, escape a horned beast and meet quirky goblins.
Mac Game of the Year: Lies of P
Mac gaming is in a bit better shape with Apple silicon providing developers the oomph to create visually-attractive titles for modern Macs. Apple named Lies of P the best new Mac game in 2023 thanks to its exquisitely crafted dark fantasy world.
Apple Arcade Game of the Year: Hello Kitty Island Adventure
That Hello Kitty Island Adventure is a smash hit on Apple Arcade wasn’t lost on Apple, which praised the game’s immersive world and the main goal being making friends.
The Cultural Impact winners
In addition to the titles, the App Store’s editorial team has also singled out five apps and games for bringing positive change to the society.
“This year’s winners encouraged users to learn and grow in an inclusive and accessible space, contribute toward a more sustainable future, and explore self-reflection and connection across generations,” it said.
Pot Pok
Inspired by living room floors filled with toys and created by the makers of the Alto’s Odyssey series, Pok Pok is a digital toy room for kids that offers creative activities to help kids with learning, exploring and experimenting through play. Apple especially likes that Pok Pok is designed with inclusivity in mind.
Proloquo
This accessibility app from AssistiveWare has been around for more than a decade, creating augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools that help the world communicate in new ways.
Too Good To Go
Another app that drives positive societal changes, Too Good to Go connects users with restaurants and stores that have a surplus of unsold food, helping minimize food waste.
Unpacking
There’s an unpacking video genre on YouTube, and now this zen title replicates the experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home in an interactive form.
Finding Hannah
A coming-of-age, hidden-object game, Finding Hannah is praised for its “inclusive and heartfelt tales that explores the power of healing and self-discovery.”
Apple mentions AI!
In the past, Apple went to great lengths to avoid mentioning the term artificial intelligence, preferring to use machine learning instead. But that’s changing now, and even Apple had to recognize generative AI as the trend of the year.
“Apps started integrating AI throughout the year in a variety of ways,” Apple notes although it’s quick to note that many AI-powered features “are still in their infancy.” Nevertheless, they gave users a chance to experience the technology in action and “come to their own conclusions about the benefits and risks.”
Interestingly, the press release doesn’t list any of AI-powered apps that impressed the App Store’s editorial team. For that, you need to read an App Store feature to appreciate ChatGPT, Canva, Picsart, Pinterest, Craft, Artifact, Sololearn and SmartDreams as apps that exemplify generative AI as the Trend of the Year.