Apple names its App Store winners for 2021

Apple on Thursday released the 2021 App Store Award winners chosen by Apple’s Global App Store Editorial Team. The awards recognize 15 apps and games from around the world that exemplify exceptional quality, innovative technology, creative design and positive cultural impact. Apple CEO Tim Cook noted that apps have taken on a bigger role in everyday life over the past year.

“The developers who won the App Store Awards in 2021 harnessed their own drive and vision to deliver the best apps and games of the year, sparking the creativity and passion of millions of users around the world,” said Cook said in a statement. “From self-taught independent coders to inspiring leaders building global businesses, these exceptional developers have innovated with Apple technology, and many of them have helped foster the deep sense of unity we needed this year. “

Here are this year’s winners:

applications

IPhone app of the year
Toca’s Life World
Developer: Toca Boca

Toca Life World is a kids world building game that lets you play various stories with Home Designer tools and character creator.

IPad app of the year

LumaFusion
Developer: LumaTouch

LumaFusion is a video editing app for aspiring and professional video storytellers. LumaFusion makes it easy to create and edit on the go. During the pandemic, LumaFusion’s daily active users doubled, according to app co-founder Terri Morgan.

Mac app of the year

Arts and crafts
Developer: Luki Labs Limited

Craft app allows creating and editing documents, notes, and ideas with support for inline markdowns, backlinks, snippets, images, videos, and PDF attachments.

Apple TV app of the year

DAZN
Developer: DAZN Group

With DAZN, you can stream live sports like boxing and the Women’s Champions League to multiple devices.

Apple Watch app of the year

Carrot weather
Developer: Grailr

The Carrot Weather weather app gives you the weather in a bit of spice. You can choose from five different personalities in the app to make the daily weather broadcast professionally or as sarcastic as possible.

Games

IPhone Game of the Year

League of Legends: Savage Rift
Developer: Riot Games

Wild Rift brings Riot’s free online multiplayer battle arena to your mobile device. Team up with friends and test your skills with over 150 champions.

IPad Game of the Year

Marvel Future Revolution
Developer: Netmarble Corporation

Marvel Future Revolution is the franchise’s first open-world action RPG mobile game. Face a tide of villains and defend the universe with heroes like Black Widow, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange and Spider-Man.

Mac game of the year

Myst
Developer: Cyan

Myst, first released in 1993, is a graphical adventure puzzle game where players travel to the worlds of Myst through a magical book.

Apple TV Game of the Year

Space Marshals 3
Developer: Pixelbite

Space Marshals 3 is a sci-fi western adventure with an emphasis on stealth and tactical combat as you hunt down baddies in space.

Apple Arcade Game of the Year

Fantastic
Developer: Mistwalker

Fantasian is a mobile RPG from Mistwalker and the creator of Final Fantasy, Hironobu Sakaguchi. The game centers on the protagonist Leo, who must search multiple dimensions to find his missing father.

Apps that keep people connected

Apple also identified “connection” as the trend for 2021 and celebrated apps and games that bring people together. Amid the pandemic, people have been looking for ways to stay in touch while socially distancing themselves and quarantining. Instead of weekly office meetings, happy hour with friends, or weekend family visits, we stayed in touch through Zoom, FaceTime, social games, and other app-related means.

“[Apps] has helped us move forward in a year that has continued to challenge us in many ways, as a global community and in our own lives, ”said Cook. “The apps have helped us connect deeper with each other, express our creativity, and engage with people, experiences and cultures.”

Here are the apps – selected by Apple – that have helped people stay connected:

Among us
Developer: Inner Sloth

Among us gained viral popularity during the first months of the pandemic. Players could remotely connect with family and friends in a social deduction multiplayer game.

buzz
Developer: Bumble Inc.

Bumble, one of CNET’s top dating apps for 2021, lets women take the first step. The app also deters ghosting by activating a timer when you meet someone. If you don’t respond within 24 hours, the game is over. There is also a no-dating BFF feature in Bumble.

Cloth
Developer: Canva

With more and more people working remotely, the popularity of the Canva graphic design platform has increased over the past year. About 65 million people use it per month, according to Canva co-founder and product manager Cameron Adams. The service offers easy-to-use design tools and eye-catching templates for professionals, students, community leaders, and more.

Eat Okra
Developer: Anthony Edwards Jr. and Janique Edwards

EatOkra is a user-focused guide to over 11,000 black-owned restaurants and businesses. Developers Anthony Edwards Jr. and Janique Edwards started EatOkra after moving to Brooklyn and struggling to find black-owned businesses in the community to support. The app is intended to promote black-owned restaurants with entrepreneurship, e-learning opportunities and other developments.

Peanut
Developer: Peanut App Limited

Peanut is designed to be a safe space where women can connect at any stage in their life. In addition to finding a community to discuss fertility, pregnancy, motherhood and menopause, Peanut wants to create a community, a space where women can support each other, seek advice, and share common interests.

For more, check out CNET’s list of the best Android apps of 2021 and best iPhone apps of 2021.