“There’s an app for that” is probably a phrase you’ve said or heard many times in the last 15 years since Apple’s revolutionary iPhone popularized mobile apps. The average American has 80 apps downloaded on their phone, according to a Zippia study. The same study found that there are over 2 million apps on the Apple App Store.
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Out of the millions of apps available on the App Store, a few transform digital culture and help us get the most out of our digital experiences.
From apps that help us learn languages and find the best flight deals to games that encourage us to build sustainable digital cities, behind every game and app is a team whose goal is to bring a digital experience to life.
To honor these app and game developers, designers, and creators, Apple’s App Store Editors curated 2023’s annual App and Game of the Year list for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Apple Arcade.
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Here are the most impactful apps of 2023, according to Apple.
iPhone App of the Year finalists
- AllTrails: An app that helps users navigate outdoor hiking, biking, running, and walking trails.
- Duolingo: An app that guides users through learning over 40 languages with the help of a spunky, green owl.
- Flighty: An app that offers radars, taxi times, commercial flight data, and more to travelers unsure about their plane’s whereabouts.
iPad App of the Year finalists
- Concepts: An infinite canvas for aspiring digital artists.
- DaVinci Resolve: An editing software that combines editing and color correction in one place.
- Prêt-à-Makeup: A digital face for makeup artists to test looks on all skin colors in all lighting conditions.
Mac App of the Year finalists
- Linearity Curve: An illustrator studio optimized for graphic designers and marketing teams.
- Photomator: An all-encompassing photo editing studio.
- Portal: A productivity app that targets users’ cognitive performance.
Apple Watch App of the Year finalists
- Planny: An app that promises to help users remember their daily tasks.
- SmartGym: An app that helps people track their workouts and fitness goals.
- Tide Guide: An app for those who want to track tide and marine weather conditions.
