Honkai Star Rail named iPhone game of the year, AllTrails app of the year in Apple’s App Store Awards 2023

In a celebration of technological innovation and creativity, Apple has unveiled its carefully curated list of the best apps and games for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, and Apple TV for the year 2023. The Cupertino-based giant recognizes the outstanding contributions of 14 apps and games from developers worldwide, with winners meticulously chosen by the App Store’s editorial team from a pool of 40 finalists. Apple CEO Tim Cook expressed his admiration, stating, “It’s inspiring to see the ways developers continue to build incredible apps and games that are redefining the world around us. 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.” In a nod to the evolving landscape of technology, Apple acknowledged the prominence of generative AI in capturing users’ collective imagination, showcasing its real-time evolution. The company also released a list of apps with generative AI capabilities, featuring popular titles such as ChatGPT, Canva, Picsart, Pinterest, Craft, Artifact, Sololearn, and SmartDreams. Here is a closer look at the standout winners across different Apple devices: iPhone App of the Year 2023: AllTrails AllTrails clinches the title of iPhone app of the year, offering a free-to-use platform for hikers, bikers, and runners. The app provides detailed trail reviews and assists users in planning upcoming adventures. AllTrails+ and AllTrails Pro versions, with additional features, are also available. iPad App of the Year 2023: Pret-a-Makeup Pret-a-Makeup takes the spotlight as the iPad app of the year, allowing users to experiment with over 700 beauty products on a digital canvas. Compatible with both iPhone and iPad, the app offers a real-sketching experience with more than 40 face templates, providing a realistic makeup trial using Apple Pencil. Mac App of the Year 2023: Photomator Photomator secures the Mac App of the Year award for its photo editing prowess. Available on Mac, iPad, and iPhone, the app employs AI to fine-tune colours and lighting. Supporting over 650 RAW image formats, including Apple ProRAW, it also facilitates batch editing of RAW format images. Apple TV App of the Year 2023: MUBI MUBI, the cinema streaming platform, received the Apple TV App of the Year award. Accessible on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, MUBI offers hand-picked movies with in-depth content from artists worldwide. The platform comes with a monthly subscription plan, and first-time users can enjoy a free trial for a week. Apple Watch App of the Year 2023: SmartGym: Gym & Home Workouts SmartGym: Gym & Home Workouts takes the title of the app of the year for Apple Watch, also available on Mac, iPhone, and iPad. This app enables users to log workouts and provides personally curated workouts with over 620 pre-installed exercises on the Apple Watch. It offers real-time heart rate monitoring, counts session data towards activity rings, and functions as a standalone app without an iPhone. iPhone Game of the Year 2023: Honkai: Star Rail Honkai: Star Rail, a popular fantasy RPG, earns the title of iPhone game of the year, also playable on iPad. This free-to-play adventure game offers an immersive experience with online multiplayer support, allowing users to explore distinct worlds following the path of the Aeons. iPad Game of the Year 2023: Lost in Play by Snapbreak Games Lost in Play by Snapbreak Games is crowned iPad’s game of the year for 2023, also available on iPhone. This free adventure game revolves around guiding a brother and sister home by solving puzzles and escaping horned beasts and quirky goblins. Mac Game of the Year 2023: Lies of P by NEOWIZ Lies of P by NEOWIZ secures the title of Mac game of the year, showcasing the evolving gaming capabilities of Macs, especially with the launch of the M1 MacBook Pros. The game follows a puppet created by Geppetto entangled in a web of lies, monsters, and untrustworthy figures. Apple Arcade Game of the Year 2023: Hello Kitty Island Adventure Hello Kitty Island Adventure emerges as the Apple Arcade game of the year for 2023, available on iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Apple TV. This adventure game invites users to embark on a journey with Hello Kitty and friends to restore an abandoned island by solving various puzzles. Cultural Impact Winners of 2023 Recognizing apps and games with cultural impact, Apple acknowledges Pok Pok, a digital toy room for kids; Proloquo, an accessibility app; Too Good To Go, an app minimizing food waste; Unpacking, a meditative puzzle game; and Finding Hannah, a hidden object game with heartfelt tales. These winners have made meaningful contributions to various aspects of culture.