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Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Apple Announces 2025 Design Awards Winners
2025 Apple Design Awards Winners Ahead of WWDC 2025, Apple has announced the winners of its 2025 Design Awards, continuing its annual tradition of spotlighting apps and games that blend innovation, accessibility, and fun. The list spans six categories, with two winners in each: one app and one game. Apple has revealed that this year's winners were chosen from 36 finalists from around the world and they have all 'demonstrated outstanding design experiences across apps and games.' From a language-learning app that turns real-world objects into flashcards to a fishing horror game, this year's picks are as quirky as they are impressive. Here's the full list of winners for 2025 Apple Design Awards. CapWords (App) – Made by China's HappyPlan Tech, this language-learning app took the top spot for delight and fun. It uses your camera to turn everyday objects, like coffee mugs or traffic cones, into sticker-style flashcards. Balatro (Game) – A mix of poker and solitaire alongside roguelike deck-builder elements, it's all about crafting powerful poker hands in the gripping gameplay, which is said to challenge players to advance their scores by 'crafting original decks to beat devious blinds and secure victory.' FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Speechify (App) – This U.S.-made text-to-speech app scooped the Inclusivity award for making written content (from PDFs to websites) accessible in over 50 languages. It also supports VoiceOver and Dynamic Type, among other accessibility tools to serve as a vital resource for people with dyslexia, ADHD, and low vision. Art of Fauna (Game) – It is a charming wildlife puzzle game where you piece together visuals or rearrange text clues. Built with accessibility in mind, it supports features like haptic feedback and VoiceOver to show how inclusive design can be both thoughtful and engaging. Play (App) – A SwiftUI-based prototyping tool that helps designers build native iOS apps directly on their devices and send them to Xcode. Designed by Rabbit 3 Times, Apple describes its UI as 'thoroughly crafted' and 'easy to navigate.'PBJ — The Musical (Game) – It tells the story of Romeo and Juliet with condiments. The game mixes rhythm-based gameplay with narrative storytelling, while featuring a 'wonderful soundtrack.' Taobao for Apple Vision Pro (App) – Alibaba's popular shopping platform got a spatial computing upgrade. Think life-sized 3D product models and customizable item comparisons from placement to size, tailored for Vision Pro users. Dredge (Game) – It is a fishing adventure turned psychological horror game made by Black Salt Games. It starts with taking the helm of a fishing boat and escalates into navigating eerie islands, uncovering strange wildlife, and piecing together a haunting mystery. Watch Duty: Wildfire Maps (App) – It allows real-time wildfire alerts submitted by the public, verified by pros. This app became a critical info source during California's recent San Diego County fires. Neva (Game) – This game offers a side-scrolling journey through a decaying world, as a girl and her wolf navigate shifting seasons. It features themes of friendship and leadership, allowing players to guide the pair through 'breathtaking landscapes, and a story that is as moving as it is timely.' Feather: Draw in 3D (App) – A 3D drawing app by Sketchsoft for the iPad, it turns your 2D sketches into immersive 3D art and makes full use of Apple Pencil features. Infinity Nikki (Game) – Apple describes it as a 'true visual achievement,' thanks to Infinity Nikki's enchanted realm of colour, detail, and rendering. It is packed with magical outfits, whimsical creatures, and unexpected moments.
Geek Culture
4 days ago
- Business
- Geek Culture
Asian Developers Make A Splash At Apple Design Awards 2025
Apple has announced the winners of its annual Apple Design Awards, recognising innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement across app and game design. This year, Asian developers have taken the spotlight, making up four of the 12 total winners. Amongst the Asian winners, Singapore's very own Infold Games leaves its mark with the mobile game Infinity Nikki , clinching the award in the Visuals and Graphics (Games) category for pushing the boundaries of what mobile graphics can achieve. The four Asian winners of the Apple Design Awards 2025 include: Delight and Fun (Apps) Winner: CapWords (HappyPlan Tech, China) A language-learning app that transforms everyday objects into interactive stickers accompanied by real-world sounds. CapWords (HappyPlan Tech, China) A language-learning app that transforms everyday objects into interactive stickers accompanied by real-world sounds. Interaction (Apps) Winner: Taobao (Zhejiang Taobao Network, China) The shopping app provides 3D models when browsing with the Apple Vision Pro that are comparable to their real-life counterparts, enhancing the online shopping experience with the ability to view and even compare items more accurately. We highlighted this app in our review of the Apple Vision Pro. Taobao (Zhejiang Taobao Network, China) The shopping app provides 3D models when browsing with the Apple Vision Pro that are comparable to their real-life counterparts, enhancing the online shopping experience with the ability to view and even compare items more accurately. We highlighted this app in our review of the Apple Vision Pro. Visuals and Graphics (Apps) Winner: Feather: Draw in 3D (Sketchsoft, South Korea)A modelling tool that can transform an artist's 2D designs into 3D creations, featuring a minimalist interface that's accessible to all skill levels, alongside full touch and Apple Pen interactions. Feather: Draw in 3D (Sketchsoft, South Korea)A modelling tool that can transform an artist's 2D designs into 3D creations, featuring a minimalist interface that's accessible to all skill levels, alongside full touch and Apple Pen interactions. Visuals and Graphics (Games) Winner: Infinity Nikki (Infold Games, Singapore) A cosy open-world mobile game which boasts graphical innovations like detailed fabric texturing, beautifully realised lighting, and effects from advanced shading techniques like Global Illumination. This year's Asian winners mark a sharp increase from the Apple Design Awards 2024, which only saw one winner from Asia out of a total of 14, that being South Korea's NEOWIZ Corporation, which won the award in the Visuals and Graphics (Game) category with Lies of P for Mac. Additionally, the pool of finalists for this year's awards also saw a larger number of Asian developers, with five of the 24 runner-ups hailing from Asia, spanning developers from Singapore, Thailand and India. In comparison, only two of the 28 finalists for the Apple Design Awards 2024 were from Asian developers. With four winners and five finalists from Asian countries, the Apple Design Awards 2025 mark a major win for Asian representation. The full list of Apple Design Award winners and finalists can be found on the official Apple Developer website. Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise 'duds' like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3 . He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying. Apple Apple Design Awards Apple Design Awards 2025 Asia
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Apple Design Awards 2025: Top 12 apps and games in the winners list
Apple has announced the winners and finalists of the 2025 Apple Design Awards, honouring 12 apps and games that stood out for their creativity and design. These winners, selected from around the world, were chosen for showing innovation, smart ideas, and strong technical skills. The company says that the awards highlight one app and one game in each of six categories: Delight and Fun, Innovation, Interaction, Inclusivity, Social Impact, and Visuals and Graphics. The winners were picked from 36 finalists who all showed excellent design in their apps or games. Susan Prescott, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations said 'Developers continue to push the boundaries of what's possible, creating apps and games that are not only beautifully designed but also deeply impactful. We're excited to celebrate this incredible group of winners and finalists at WWDC and spotlight the innovation and craftsmanship they bring to each experience.' Winners and finalists of the 2025 Apple Design Awards Delight and Fun by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Soluções de energia de confiança para Data Centers de IA Siemens Energy Learn More Undo Winners and finalists in this category provide memorable, engaging, and satisfying experiences enhanced by Apple technologies. App: CapWords Developer: HappyPlan Tech (China) CapWords is a dynamic language learning tool that transforms images of everyday objects into interactive stickers — helping learners explore new words in a more intuitive and visual way. Supporting nine languages, the app is a delightful way to learn independently while immersing users in their surroundings. Game: Balatro Developer: LocalThunk (Canada) Balatro is a satisfying fusion of poker, solitaire, and deck-building with roguelike elements. Players combine poker hands with joker cards — each with their own unique abilities — to create varied synergies. Hallmarked by clever details, gripping gameplay challenges players to advance their scores by crafting original decks to beat devious blinds and secure victory. Finalists for this category include Lumy by Raja V; Denim by Feel Good Tech; Thank Goodness You're Here! by Panic; and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown by Ubisoft Montpellier . Innovation Winners and finalists in this category provide a state-of-the-art experience through novel use of Apple technologies that set them apart in their genre. App: Play Developer: Rabbit 3 Times (United States) Play is a sophisticated yet accessible tool that lets users build interactive prototypes with SwiftUI frameworks. Its thoughtfully crafted user interface is both powerful and easy to navigate, helping designers create interactive prototypes and collaborate across Mac and iPhone, all synced in real time for seamless creativity. Game: PBJ — The Musical Developer: Philipp Stollenmayer (Germany) PBJ — The Musical is snack-based Shakespeare, a charming game that tells the story of Romeo and Juliet with condiments. PBJ creatively mixes rhythm-based gameplay with narrative storytelling and a wonderful soundtrack. And with haptic feedback, clever camera work, and fun dialogue, it's joyful from the start. Finalists for this category include Moises by Capybara by Digital Workroom Ltd; Pawz by Bootloader Studio Holdings Private Limited; and Gears & Goo by Resolution Games AB. Interaction Winners and finalists in this category deliver intuitive interfaces and effortless controls that are perfectly tailored to their platform. App: Taobao Developer: Zhejiang Taobao Network (China) Taobao offers a convenient and engaging shopping experience on Apple Vision Pro, providing incredible 3D models comparable to their real-life counterparts. The immersive experience enhances shopping for users, taking into consideration placement, position, controls, size, and function, and giving people the ability to compare items side by side from an extensive selection of products. Game: DREDGE Developer: Black Salt Games (New Zealand) DREDGE blends slow-burn horror with exploration and adventure. Players take the helm of a fishing boat to navigate eerie islands, uncover strange wildlife, and piece together a haunting mystery. The game offers seamless interactions and a fun world of hidden treasures across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Finalists for this category include iA Writer by Information Architects AG; Mela - Recipe Manager by Silvio Rizzi; Gears & Goo by Resolution Games AB; and Skate City: New York by Snowman . Inclusivity Winners and finalists in this category provide a great experience for all by reflecting a variety of backgrounds, abilities, and languages. App: Speechify Developer: Speechify (United States) With support for hundreds of voices in over 50 languages, Speechify is a powerful tool that transforms written text into audio with ease. Designed with accessibility at its core, and by offering features like Dynamic Type and VoiceOver, the app serves as a vital resource for people with dyslexia, ADHD, and low vision, as well as anyone who learns best by listening. Game: Art of Fauna Developer: Klemens Strasser (Austria) Beautifully illustrated and mindfully designed, Art of Fauna is a puzzle game that blends vintage-inspired wildlife imagery with a deep commitment to inclusivity and conservation. Players can solve puzzles by rearranging visual elements or reordering descriptive text, making gameplay uniquely interactive. With features like full VoiceOver support and haptic feedback, accessibility is woven throughout the experience. Finalists for this category include Evolve by GTA Solutions; Train Fitness by Train Fitness; puffies. by Lykke Studios; and Land of Livia by Split Atom Labs. Social Impact Winners and finalists in this category improve lives in a meaningful way and shine a light on crucial issues. App: Watch Duty Developer: Sherwood Forestry Service (United States) During devastating wildfires in Southern California, Watch Duty once again served as a lifeline, delivering up-to-the-minute updates, evacuation information, and critical resources with clarity and reliability. The app reports information like active fire perimeters and progress, wind speed and direction, and evacuation orders. Game: Neva Developer: Devolver Digital (United States) Visually stunning and emotionally resonant, Neva is an action-adventure tale that follows a girl and her wolf companion through a beautiful world in decline. As the seasons shift, so does their relationship — offering a quiet meditation on care, connection, and the cost of environmental loss. With themes of friendship and leadership, players guide the pair through breathtaking landscapes, and a story that is as moving as it is timely. Finalists for this category include Ground News by Snapwise; Opal by Opal OS; Ahoy! From Picardy by Daniel Jones; and Art of Fauna by Klemens Strasser. Visuals and Graphics Winners and finalists in this category feature stunning imagery, skillfully drawn interfaces, and high-quality animations with a distinctive and cohesive theme. App: Feather: Draw in 3D Developer: Sketchsoft (South Korea) This drawing tool allows users to transform 2D designs into 3D masterpieces. Developed with a focus on creativity and user experience, Feather makes it easy for people of all skill levels to build advanced 3D modelling designs on iPad, drawing on touch and Apple Pencil interactions to help users bring their imaginations to life. Game: Infinity Nikki Developer: Infold Games (Singapore) With its enchanted realm of colour, detail, and rendering, Infinity Nikki is a true visual achievement. This cozy open-world adventure challenges players to collect wonderful things, and is packed with magical outfits, whimsical creatures, and unexpected moments. Finalists for this category include Vocabulary by Monkey Taps; CellWalk by Timothy Davison; Control Ultimate Edition by Remedy Entertainment PLC; and Neva by Devolver Digital. Scam Series: The "Meme Malware" WhatsApp Scam
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
These apps and games just won Apple Design Awards 2025
Apple on Tuesday (June 3, 2025) pulled back the curtain on its annual Design Awards, spotlighting a dozen apps and games that Cupertino deems the crème de la crème in design and innovation. In a world drowning in apps, getting an Apple Design Award does signal which applications are trending and technologies Apple itself is excited about. This year's cohort, culled from 36 global finalists, showcases developers who are not just coding, but crafting experiences. Vision Pro Gets Its Design Award Moment with Taobao One of the most eyebrow-raising wins came in the Interaction category. Chinese e-commerce behemoth Taobao snagged the app award for its Apple Vision Pro experience. Apple praised its 'convenient and engaging shopping experience' with 'incredible 3D models comparable to their real-life counterparts.' This is a significant nod, signaling that Apple is keen to see developers embrace its spatial computing platform with practical, polished applications. The ability to 'compare items side by side from an extensive selection of products' in an immersive way could be a genuine game-changer for online retail, and Taobao is clearly an early frontrunner. China Also Nabs 'Delight and Fun' with CapWords Sticking with international talent, CapWords by HappyPlan Tech won the app award for Delight and Fun. This isn't your snooze-fest language learning app. CapWords 'transforms images of everyday objects into interactive stickers,' offering an 'intuitive and visual way' to pick up new vocabulary across nine languages. It's the kind of smart, simple, yet profoundly useful design that often flies under the radar but makes a daily difference. Indie Game Charm and AAA Polish Shine On the gaming front, the awards celebrated Balatro. This 'satisfying fusion of poker, solitaire, and deck-building with rogue-like elements' was lauded for its 'clever details' and 'gripping gameplay.'Innovation in gaming went to PBJ — The Musical by Philipp Stollenmayer. Described as 'snack-based Shakespeare', it mixes rhythm gameplay with a condiment-themed Romeo and Juliet narrative. With haptics and 'clever camera work,' it's joyfully bonkers. DREDGE, developed by New Zealand-based Black Salt Games, scooped up the Interaction award for its 'seamless interactions' in a game that blends slow-burn horror with fishing and exploration across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Singapore's Infold Games brought home the Visuals and Graphics award for Infinity Nikki, an 'enchanted realm of colour, detail, and rendering' in a cozy open-world adventure. Utility, Accessibility, and Impact Honored It wasn't all fun and games, though. Speechify won for Inclusivity, transforming text into audio in over 50 languages. Watch Duty, another app developed in the US, nabbed the Social Impact award for its critical, life-saving wildfire updates. And for pure Innovation in an app, Play by Rabbit 3 Times was recognized for making sophisticated SwiftUI prototyping accessible.
