Apple has announced the finalists for the 2026 Apple Design Awards. With WWDC 2026 just weeks away, the apps and games nominated for the 2026 Apple Design Awards have been revealed. Each year, Apple recognizes apps on the App Store that demonstrate true innovation and ingenuity. Through the annual Apple Design Awards, the company showcases its top picks across a variety of app categories, celebrating developers and their creative efforts.
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The finalists are organized based on the design aspects that Apple considers particularly impressive, with three apps and three games nominated for each category.
- Joy and Entertainment: Finalists in this category offer memorable, engaging and rewarding experiences that are enhanced by Apple technologies.
- Inclusion: The Inclusion category celebrates apps on the App Store that provide a great experience for everyone, reflecting a diversity of backgrounds, abilities, and languages.
- Innovation: Finalists selected for the Innovation category deliver a cutting-edge experience through a novel use of Apple technologies that sets them apart from their peers.
- Interaction: Apple says that apps and games recommended for the Interaction category provide intuitive environments and easy controls that are perfectly tailored to their platform.
- Social Impact: Finalists in this category improve lives in a meaningful way and shed light on critical issues.
- Visuals and Graphics: Apple says that finalists in the Visuals and Graphics category feature striking imagery, skillfully designed environments, and high-quality animations with a distinctive and cohesive theme.
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Titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Civilization VII are among the titles that have been nominated for an Apple Design Award. Some apps, like TR-49 and Sago Mini Jinja's Garden, were recognized as finalists in two categories. While Apple no longer has a dedicated "Spatial Computing" category, visionOS software like Pickle Pro and D-Day: The Camera Soldier still have a chance to win.
Apps for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other platforms were also suggested.
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The winners will be revealed at WWDC 2026, which begins on June 8. One app and one game from each category will win a 2026 Apple Design Award.
