Apple has revealed the winners of the 2025 App Store Awards to celebrate the apps and games that stood out this year. A total of 17 winners were selected from 45 finalists.
This year’s list highlights how much the app ecosystem has changed. Many winners use AI, focus on accessibility, or introduce new ways to create and consume content. Several apps built specifically for Apple Vision Pro were also recognized, showing that Apple’s mixed-reality platform is starting to mature.
Best Apps of 2025
- iPhone App of the Year: Tiimo — A simple but powerful planning app that focuses on routines and neurodiversity-friendly design.
- iPad App of the Year: Detail — A creator-focused tool that turns the iPad into a flexible video studio.
- Mac App of the Year: Essayist — A writing app that blends structure, AI assistance, and clean design.
- Vision Pro App of the Year: Explore POV — An immersive app that uses spatial video to rethink storytelling.
- Apple Watch App of the Year: Strava — A familiar name, but the app’s improved health metrics and training tools helped it win again.
- Apple TV App of the Year: HBO Max — Apple praised its redesigned interface and strong streaming catalogue.
Best Games of 2025
- iPhone Game of the Year: Pokémon TCG Pocket
- iPad Game of the Year: DREDGE
- Mac Game of the Year: Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
- Vision Pro Game of the Year: Porta Nubi
- Apple Arcade Game of the Year: WHAT THE CLASH?
The winners show how mobile gaming is evolving. Cyberpunk 2077 winning Mac Game of the Year shows Apple’s growing push for high-end gaming on Apple Silicon devices, while Vision Pro titles continue exploring spatial interaction in small, creative ways.
Cultural Impact Awards
Apple also recognized six apps for contributing to culture, accessibility, and community in meaningful ways:
- Art of Fauna
- Chants of Sennaar
- despelote
- Be My Eyes
- Focus Friend by Hank Green
- StoryGraph
These apps focus on storytelling, accessibility, and tools that help users develop positive habits. Apple says these titles “inspired deeper connection and understanding,” which fits the company’s broader push toward well-being and inclusive design.
If you look closely at the list, you see a clear shift in how people use devices. AI-powered apps are becoming mainstream, and Vision Pro is slowly building its own identity with niche but creative tools. On the gaming side, the fact that Cyberpunk 2077 won a major award on Mac shows that Apple’s hardware transition is finally paying off in AAA gaming support.
At the same time, smaller and independent developers continue to dominate categories around creativity and accessibility. Apps like Tiimo, StoryGraph, and Art of Fauna show that simple ideas backed by strong execution still resonate with users worldwide.
