Apple AppStore Awards 2021 Are Out
Apple brings a memorable end to the eventful year of 2021 by announcing the winners of the Apple Appstore Awards 2021.
So, who made it to the top? Who came second? Did last year's winner retain their crown?
Read the article to find out...
Apple’s App Of The Year Winners and Runner Ups
Apple today announced its annual calendar of the top games and apps of the year for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch.
This year, children's app creator Toca Boca took home the iPhone App of the Year for "Toca Life World,",
as well as Riot Games' "League of Legends: Wild Rift" was the iPhone Game of the Year.
Other winners were the iPad App of the Year "LumaFusion" from LumaTouch;
the iPad Game of the Year "MARVEL Future Revolution" from Netmarble;
and the Mac App of the Year "Craft," from Luki Labs Limited.
Mac Game of the Year "Myst," by Cyan.
This year’s TV App of the Year is DAZN, which is from DAZN Group
Apple TV's Game of the Year is Space Marshals 3 from Pixelbite.
Apple Watch App of the Year goes to Carrot Weather by Grailr;
and "Fantasian" which is from the Apple Arcade Game of the Year: "Fantasian," from Mistwalker.
Most often, the winners represent relatively new people in the App Store, the ones who have benefited from Apple technologies in novel ways or were the subject of special attention during the course of the year.
For instance, last year's award winners were a reflection of the way that the pandemic manifested within the realm of apps. As a result, the home fitness application "Walkout!" bagged the iPhone App of the Year tag, and "Zoom" has won for the iPad segment.
However, this season's iPhone app of the year, "Toca Life World," is an appealing choice for another reason.
Its creator, Toca Boca, was celebrating the tenth anniversary of its creation this March. Since the release of the first app, the company has since released more than 40 additional children's apps, or, as Toca Boca likes to call them, digital toys. "Toca Life World" is the culmination of this effort since it brings together the earlier "Toca Life" apps to provide a seamless experience.
Apple felicitated the winner for "still innovating and advancing the art of play and self-expression in children" 10 years on.
However, the choice can also serve as an ominous reminder in an era of App Store controversy and resentment that app developers are creating long-term business models on this App Store, in addition to how Apple has played an important role in facilitating the success of these businesses, including awards such as these.
Apple also acknowledged other winners and noted the way streaming services like "DAZN" helped bring local sports to the spotlight. Additionally, Apple is quietly building out a SportsKit Framework that will run on Apple TV along with iOS apps that DAZN might one day use.
Apple also highlighted "Carrot Weather's" top-of-the-line meteorological forecasts that compete with Apple's default weather application and utilize data that comes from Apple's Dark Sky.
Apple also gave their warm regards to LumaFusion and its capability to make video editing faster and easier for its users.
As a result, a lot of the list has served as an example of how tightly the fate of several third-party apps has to do with Apple's software development.
Changes in Apple's App Store Policies, following recent lawsuits and how it affected the results of this year
The past year was an era of transition in the App Store and its users, who have been under increasing scrutiny from regulators and new laws in international markets, as well as a variety of lawsuits over the App Store's business model based on commissions, which includes the ongoing one that involves Epic Games, now under appeal.
This has led to Apple changing too, and it has clarified its policies and has even decreased the number of commissions it pays in certain instances, following the demands of the market as well as the settlement agreements.
Despite the change in popularity and quality, many applications, award winners included, remain excellent.
In its announcement of the winners for the year, Apple also dubbed "Connection" as the most popular trend of the year and highlighted a variety of games and apps that left a lasting impression on our lives, keeping this idea in the back of their minds.
The list of winners included the competitive and cooperative games "Among Us!" by InnerSloth; the dating and networking application Bumble (whose main rivals are Match & Tinder, who happens to be a well-known App Store reviewer) as well as the digital-design platform Canva.
In addition, a guide to local eateries that are focusing on businesses owned by blacks, EatOkra; and the social networking site for women, Peanut, that launched its chatrooms with audio in the year 2000.
In a statement, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated, "the developers who won the App Store Awards for 2021 tapped into their passion and ambition to create the most compelling games and apps of the year, inciting the imagination and enthusiasm of millions of players all over the world."
"From self-taught indie coders to inspirational leaders who are building international businesses, these outstanding developers were able to innovate using Apple technology, and many contributed to the deep feeling of unity we all needed in the year ahead", he added.
The winners will be presented with the physical App Store awards. They are inspired by the distinctive blue App Store icon.
The icon is embedded in the recycled aluminum that is used to create Apple products, and the name of the recipient is engraved on the reverse.
Winding-up
And those were the winners of the Apple Appstore Awards 2021 for you.
A big round of applause for all the creators and production houses who won this year and may they keep on producing similar great apps/ games for users around the globe.
