In a major announcement, Apple today named 45 finalists for its 2025 “App Store Awards 2025”, recognising the most innovative apps and games across its ecosystem. The awards span 12 categories across iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch platforms, underlining Apple’s focus on creativity, productivity, design and gameplay experience.
What the Awards Represent
Apple’s annual App Store Awards programme highlights developers who have created experiences that elevate everyday life, enhance user productivity or introduce new forms of play and interaction. According to Apple’s head of App Store Worldwide, these finalists reflect a “diverse and remarkably talented developer community”. By selecting across multiple device platforms, Apple emphasises its ecosystem vision — from mobile to desktop to wearable.
Finalists by Platform: A Quick Overview
Here are some of the standout finalists by device category, reflecting trends in utility, creativity and entertainment.
- iPhone App of the Year:
- BandLab – enables musicians to record, mix and collaborate seamlessly.
- LADDER – focuses on strength-training planning and workout tracking.
- Tiimo – a visual task-management tool designed for ease, calm and clarity.
These apps place utility and workflow-enhancement at the centre.
- iPhone Game of the Year:
- Capybara Go! – an idle adventure featuring the internet-famous gentle creature.
- Pokémon TCG Pocket – a mobile refresh of the iconic card-collecting experience.
- Thronefall – minimalist controls meet strategic battle gameplay.
These finalists demonstrate how mobile games are blending simplicity and depth.
- iPad Creativity & Productivity:
- Detail – reimagines content-creation workflows with extra flexibility.
- Graintouch – brings print-making inspired art tools into digital space.
- Structured – converts complex schedules into simple, visual timelines.
On iPad, Apple is showcasing a shift toward professional-style tools and creative empowerment.
- Mac Platform:
- Acorn – professional-level photo editing made accessible.
- Essayist – aims at simplifying academic writing with streamlined citations and formatting.
- Under My Roof – helps homeowners organise and manage their domestic lifespaces.
Mac finalists indicate Apple’s push to ensure that even desktop applications meet high standards of design and impact.
- Apple Watch Platform:
- GO Club – encourages users to stay active and track hydration and movement.
- Moment’s Pro Camera – brings advanced photography features to the wrist-worn interface.
- Strava – the global fitness community app, recognised again for its performance-focused tracking.
For Apple Watch, the emphasis is on wearable-first experiences that integrate well with lifestyle, fitness and productivity.
Broader Significance & Trends
The roster of finalists conveys several notable trends in the app ecosystem:
- Cross-device convergence: Apple is emphasising how apps span devices — from mobile to desktop to wearable — and how developer creativity needs to adapt.
- Blurring productivity and creativity: The finalists include both productivity tools (task management, writing workflows) and creative tools (digital art, music collaboration), underscoring that today’s users demand more than mere utility.
- Games with depth: Even in mobile gaming, we see foundations in strategy, narrative, and unique play mechanics rather than purely casual experiences.
- User-impact focus: Many finalists seem selected not simply for visual polish, but for measurable user impact—making daily routines smoother, fostering creativity, or enabling health and activity tracking.
- Recognition for developers: For the developer community, being shortlisted serves as a badge of honour and recognition within Apple’s ecosystem, providing visibility and momentum.
What’s Next
While the finalists have been announced, the winners of the App Store Awards 2025 will be revealed in the coming weeks. Developers and users alike will be watching to see which apps and games ultimately take top honours in each category. For users, the finalists list itself serves as a curated guide to standout apps worthy of exploration. For developers, it highlights what Apple considers best-in-class: great design, meaningful impact, and thoughtful integration across devices.
As the digital landscape rapidly evolves, the 2025 awards reflect how apps and games are no longer siloed to mobile phones alone — they are experiences that span screens, enable creativity, enhance workflows and reach into every part of our digital lives.
For the full list of finalists and official announcement details, visit: Apple Newsroom
Divya writes for Hindi News 99, focusing on smartphones, India news, and technology. She provides readers with timely and reliable updates in a simple, engaging style.