Not only did we learn about the importance of apps to the Australian economy in 2023, but Apple has also unveiled the winners of the 2023 App Store Awards, recognising 14 apps and games that empowered users to unleash their creativity, discover a world of new adventures and have fun with family and friends.

Apple explains this year’s winners include developers from across the world, whose apps and games were chosen by the App Store’s Editorial team for providing users with meaningful experiences and inspiring cultural change. App Store Award winners were selected from nearly 40 finalists for delivering exceptional technical innovation, user experience and design.

“It’s inspiring to see the ways developers continue to build incredible apps and games that are redefining the world around us,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “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.”

This year’s winners showcase the scope of creativity, technical innovation and design possible across the App Store and Apple’s ecosystem. AllTrails nurtures community through comprehensive trail guides and outdoor exploration for everyone. Prêt-à-Makeup offers a true-to-life makeup sketchpad on iPad for professional artists and casual users, while fostering inclusivity and self-expression. Photomator’s machine learning–powered tools make advanced editing tasks streamlined and seamless. MUBI curates exceptional indie films and international documentaries with a human touch, and SmartGym shines on Apple Watch with its comprehensive library of exercises, routines and robust fitness reporting.

In the gaming category, Honkai: Star Rail takes players through a narrative full of complex characters and tactically rich combat on iPhone, while Lost in Play invites players to tap into a charming, child-like imagination during an epic point-and-click adventure. Lies of P presents players with an exquisitely crafted dark fantasy world, and Apple Arcade’s Hello Kitty Island Adventure delivers an immersive gaming world with its main goal being as sweet as can be: making friends.

2023 App Store Award Winners

Apps

iPhone App of the Year: AllTrails, from AllTrails, Inc.

iPad App of the Year: Prêt-à-Makeup, from Prêt-à-Template.

Mac App of the Year: Photomator, from UAB Pixelmator Team.

Apple TV App of the Year: MUBI, from MUBI, Inc.

Apple Watch App of the Year: SmartGym, from Mateus Abras.

Games

iPhone Game of the Year: Honkai: Star Rail, from COGNOSPHERE PTE. LTD.

iPad Game of the Year: Lost in Play, from Snapbreak Games.

Mac Game of the Year: Lies of P, from NEOWIZ.

Apple Arcade Game of the Year: Hello Kitty Island Adventure, from Sunblink.

Cultural Impact Winners 

In addition to recognising the best apps and games on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV, Apple’s App Store Editors also selected five Cultural Impact winners, recognised for their ability to drive positive change through apps and games. This year’s winners encouraged users to learn and grow in an inclusive and accessible space, contribute towards a more sustainable future, and explore self-reflection and connection across generations.

Pok Pok from Pok Pok

Designed with inclusivity in mind, Pok Pok is a digital toy room for kids, offering a universal space for preschoolers of all backgrounds and abilities to play, explore and see the world as one.

Proloquo from AssistiveWare 

An accessibility app pioneer for over a decade, AssistiveWare’s Proloquo is creating augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools that help the world communicate in new ways.

Too Good To Go from Too Good To Go 

Too Good to Go enables users to minimise food waste by connecting them with restaurants and stores that have a surplus of unsold food at an affordable cost.

Unpacking from Humble Bundle 

Unpacking mixes meditative puzzles to create a soul-soothing triumph around familiar experiences of change and connection.

Finding Hannah from Fein Games GmbH 

Finding Hannah is a colourful coming-of-age, hidden-object game with inclusive and heartfelt tales that explores the power of healing and self-discovery.

Trend of the Year

Apps are a reflection of culture, and in 2023, generative AI captured users’ collective imagination with its evolution unfolding in real time. Apps started integrating AI throughout the year in a variety of ways. Although many features are still in their infancy, they gave users a chance to see, firsthand, the technology in action and come to their own conclusions about the benefits and risks. In addition to this year’s App Store Award winners, App Store Editors across the globe have highlighted a collection of generative AI apps that exemplify the Trend of the Year. Read more from App Store Editors.

As Apple reminds us, its App Store launched in 2008, and “is the world’s safest and most vibrant app marketplace.”

Currently home to 1.8 million apps and visited by over 650 million average weekly visitors across 175 countries and regions, the App Store is an engine of global economic growth, facilitating US$1.1 trillion in developer billings and sales in 2022. The App Store helps creators, dreamers and learners of all ages and backgrounds connect with the tools and information they need to build a brighter future and a better world.