Apple officially announced the winners of the 2025 App Store Awards today, recognising 17 exceptional apps and games that showcase a mix of technical skill, thoughtful design, and, I think, a genuine sense of creativity. This year’s selection feels especially focused on how developers are using new technology to simplify tasks, enhance creative workflows, and offer deeper entertainment experiences. According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, the winners reflect the type of ingenuity that has shaped the App Store ecosystem for years, helping people in small but meaningful ways across their daily lives. These winners were chosen from a group of 45 finalists, with Apple’s editorial team carefully weighing innovation, user interface, and overall quality.
Key Takeaways
- Tiimo won iPhone App of the Year for its AI powered visual planning tools
- Pokémon TCG Pocket earned iPhone Game of the Year for its digital card battling
- Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition won Mac Game of the Year, highlighting Apple silicon gaming
- Detail and Essayist took top honours for iPad and Mac apps, emphasising creativity and academic productivity
- Cultural Impact winners include Be My Eyes and Focus Friend, recognised for meaningful social contributions
Top Apps for Productivity and Creativity
A noticeable theme in this year’s winners is how thoughtfully they address everyday challenges. Tiimo, named iPhone App of the Year, is a visual daily planner that uses artificial intelligence to break larger goals into smaller steps. It is especially supportive for neurodivergent users or anyone who has difficulty managing time. I found it interesting how something so simple can feel genuinely helpful.
Detail took home iPad App of the Year, and it changes how creators think about video production. Its AI based editing tools simplify what used to be a time consuming process, enabling users to record and refine high quality videos with far less friction. Even beginners can create polished content, which perhaps explains why it stood out to Apple.
On the Mac side, Essayist earned Mac App of the Year for solving a problem many students and researchers know all too well. It automates academic formatting, including citations and structural templates, removing the stress of getting everything technically correct before writing can even begin.
Other notable winners round out the ecosystem. Strava won Apple Watch App of the Year for its reliable fitness tracking and real time athlete data. HBO Max secured Apple TV App of the Year, especially recognised for its inclusion of ASL content that broadens accessibility for deaf and hard of hearing viewers. The focus on thoughtful design choices feels intentional this year.
Gaming Winners: From Cards to Cybernetics
This year’s gaming winners offer a mix of nostalgia and modern innovation. Pokémon TCG Pocket earned iPhone Game of the Year by reimagining the classic trading card experience for mobile users. Players can collect beautifully rendered digital cards and jump into quick battles without the need for a physical deck. It captures that familiar excitement in a more accessible form.
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, named Mac Game of the Year, continues to demonstrate how capable Apple silicon has become. The game’s massive sci-fi world, filled with branching storylines and rich visual detail, showcases what is possible on modern Macs. For many players, this recognition might feel like a turning point for Mac gaming.
DREDGE won iPad Game of the Year for its unusual mix of fishing mechanics and eerie mystery. Players explore a fog covered archipelago, catching fish while uncovering darker secrets beneath the surface. Apple Vision Pro users saw Porta Nubi take the top spot for turning the player’s environment into an interactive puzzle space.
Cultural Impact Winners
Apple also highlighted six apps that contribute to positive societal impact. Be My Eyes continues its important mission by connecting blind or low vision users with volunteers and AI tools to assist with visual tasks. Focus Friend, created by Hank Green, turns focus sessions into a light gamified experience that helps users manage screen time more mindfully.
Art of Fauna offers gentle wildlife themed puzzles that encourage relaxation, while despelote tells a personal story that blends soccer with themes of social unrest. Each of these apps reflects how software can support empathy, understanding, and emotional well being. It is a reminder that technology does not always need to be grand to make a real difference.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Which app won the iPhone App of the Year for 2025?
A1: Tiimo won the iPhone App of the Year. It is a visual planning app that helps users organise their day and manage tasks effectively.
Q2: Is Cyberpunk 2077 available on Mac?
A2: Yes, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition is available on Mac and won the 2025 Mac Game of the Year award.
Q3: What is the Apple Vision Pro App of the Year?
A3: Explore POV won the Apple Vision Pro App of the Year. It allows users to experience travel locations through immersive video.
Q4: Did any major AI chatbots win an award?
A4: While apps that use AI features like Tiimo and Detail won, standalone AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Gemini were not named distinct category winners in this lineup.
Q5: How does the App Store Editors choose the winners?
A5: App Store editors select winners from a list of finalists based on criteria like design quality, user experience, technical innovation, and the app’s overall impact.
