Skip to main content

Here are the iOS & Mac apps that won this year’s Apple Design Awards

Apple has just wrapped up its exciting WWDC 2016 keynote announcing macOS Sierra, iOS 10, watchOS 3, and the latest installment of tvOS. The event was mostly focused on what Apple would be releasing at the end of this year, but Apple also likes to put the attention back on the amazing developers in the community. Every year Apple celebrates developers and the work they’ve accomplished across the various software platforms at its Apple Design Awards. This year’s 2016 Apple Design Awards showcased apps for iOS, OS X, watchOS, and tvOS. The award ceremony made sure to highlight apps that were localized in multiple languages, and had been built with accessibility in mind.

Student Winners

Linum – Free Puzzle Game (iOS)

Linum is a puzzle type game in which your goal is to Land Nodes on the Landing Points.

In each level, all the “Landing Points” must reach 0. Some Landing Points only need one “Landing” to reach 0, while the hardest Landing Points require up to 5 Landings!

To “Land the Nodes”, you have to move what we call “Lines”. And it is important to know that each Line has 2 nodes.

Lines are always connected to other Lines through their Nodes, so your movements will always be anchored to the connected Nodes.

If a Line is connected on its two Nodes, you can perform a move called “Chain Rotation”. A Chain Rotation allows you to rotate multiple Lines with a single move. Think about your Chain Rotations as these will allow you to Land your Nodes in difficult places.

Enjoy the game and Land all the Nodes!

Dividr (iOS)

Get DIVIDR, a fun and addicting 2D arcade game. Winner of the 2016 RIT iOS app challenge DIVIDR will keep you occupied for minutes or hooked for hours. The goal of DIVIDR is simple: get the highest score possible by surviving for as long as you can. Every block you pass and every coin you pick up adds to your score. To help you reach your goal, you can break your character into two separate parts that you can control simultaneously. So go ahead and give it a try! See if you can beat the devs ;)

Design Award Winners

Frame.io (iOS)

Frame.io is the world’s most popular video collaboration platform, used by over 120,000 filmmakers and media pros just like you.

Frame.io allows you to upload all your source media, work in progress clips, and assets into private workspaces where you can invite your team and clients to collaborate. We replace the hodgepodge of Dropbox for file sharing, Vimeo for video review, and Email for communication, but that’s just a start. Now you can take Frame.io with you wherever you go.

Chameleon Run (iOS)

Chameleon Run is a unique, fast and challenging autorunner with a colorful twist. Jump, switch and run through expertly crafted levels that will have you running back for more.

Your goal is to switch your color to match the ground as you run and jump from platform to platform. Sounds easy right? Well think again!

Features

– Fast paced running, jumping and switching colors
– Fun jumping mechanics like “double jump” and “head jump”
– Pixel perfect physics
– Stylish, super smooth and colorful graphics
– Non-linear levels with 3 special objectives in each one
– Compete for the fastest time on each level
– Simple two button controls

Auxy Music Creation (iPad only)

Auxy is a simple tool for making modern music. Create your own synth and drum loops. Tweak the sounds. Upload and share your beats.

Streaks (iPhone and Apple Watch)

STREAKS. The to-do list that helps you form good habits.
“I’ve now reduced my coffee intake by 70% with Streaks, something I struggled with for 5 years. It’s a life changing app to me.” – Otávio, Chicago.
“I was smoking 15 cigarettes each day. Streaks helped me to quit smoking by reducing and then eliminating my daily use.” – Ben, Adelaide.

* Featured in Apple’s “Best of 2015” apps
* Featured in Apple’s “Amazing Apps for iPhone” TV advert
* Featured on the Apple Watch web site
* Preinstalled on demo iPhones in Apple Stores worldwide

Track up to six tasks you want to complete every day. Your goal is to build a streak of consecutive days. Streaks works with the Apple Health app to help you achieve your fitness goals.

Six tasks: Stay focused, get them done.

FEATURES:

* Streaks automatically knows when you complete tasks linked to the Health app
* Includes a blazingly fast Apple Watch app, including Complications, Glance screen, and Rich Notifications.
* Customize the app color
* Hundreds of icons to choose from
* Customizable reminder notifications keeps you on track
* View your current and best streak, as well as your completion statistics

Lara Croft Go (iOS)

*** Apple’s iPhone Game of the Year 2015 ***
*** Best Mobile/Handheld Game – The Game Awards 2015 ***

Lara Croft GO is a turn based puzzle-adventure set in a long-forgotten world. Explore the ruins of an ancient civilization, discover well-kept secrets and face deadly challenges as you uncover the myth of the Queen of Venom.

• Experience lush visuals and a captivating soundtrack
• Navigate using simple swipe-to-move controls
• Fight menacing enemies, overcome dangerous obstacles and escape deadly traps
• Solve more than 101 puzzles split into 6 chapters
• Collect ancient relics and unlock new outfits for Lara

Following the award-winning Hitman GO, Square Enix Montréal brings yet another beloved franchise to mobile with this unique take on the iconic heroine’s adventures.

3D4Medical Complete Anatomy (iPad only)

COMPLETE ANATOMY brings anatomy to life, transforming interactive learning and collaboration to an exciting new level. COMPLETE ANATOMY is the perfect platform for medical students, medical professionals and lifelong learners, allowing instant interaction with the most accurate 3D anatomy models available and over 6,200 high resolution anatomical structures. The platform provides innovative ways to transform traditionally 2D learning material into 3D, with features such as tracing nerve paths, anatomy ‘screens’, a 3D recording feature (with audio) and interactive Lectures from top anatomical experts. Dive in with tools that help to visualize complex functions such as nerve supply to muscles, individual layer guides to identify bone parts/surfaces and origin/insertion points, and our motion tool which transforms muscle movements into 3D animations – directly on the model. Want to create your own individual content? Use our patented technology and state-of-the-art tools, to seamlessly cut through multiple layers, quickly create fractures or spurs on bone, jot down notes on screen with our 2D or 3D pens and import images or scans to compare against the model. Our in-app cloud sharing platform provides a convenient way to share this content with other users or to your own private or university group.

DOWNLOAD FOR FREE to experience the rich graphics of our optimized 3D skeleton and connective tissue layers.

INKS. (iOS)

From the makers of BAFTA-winning Lumino City comes INKS.

INKS updates pinball for a new generation. It combines the joy of pinball with skilful tactical challenges, and allows you to create wondrous works of art as the ball smashes around the canvas.

Blocks of colour burst like beautiful fireworks across the surface, building up in vivid layers and recording a visual history of your game as you perfect your score.

FEATURES:

– Beautiful and elegant design
– Over 100 unique tables to play
– Perfectly balanced gameplay
– Each canvas tells the story of your game
– Share your favourite levels and high scores

If you’re enjoying INKS and want to extend the experience further you can also buy Powerups – slow-mo ‘Precision’ aim, and the ‘Stopper’ to prevent you from losing the first precious Gold Ball.

“Amazing looking… vibrant, full of life. Are we excited about this.” Pocket Gamer

Inspired by artists like Miro, Matisse, Jackson Pollock and Bridget Riley, each table becomes a unique work of art, sculpted by the player as they fire an ink covered ball around the canvas.

With State of Play’s creative flare and skill at crafting beautifully elegant gameplay, INKS offers something new: art and gameplay as one, for everyone.

Zova (iPhone and Apple Watch)

Fitter, healthier, stronger – for good.

Zova helps inspire and motivate you with workouts and training plans across a variety of styles including circuit, strength, tabata, HIIT and yoga.

• Choose from a variety of workouts ranging from 3 to 30 minutes.
• Workout anywhere, anytime; from your bedroom floor to a hotel room or your local gym.
• Switch off after a long week at work with workouts like ‘Stress Free’ and ‘Chill Out’.
• Create healthier habits when you plan ahead and schedule workouts to your Calendar.
• Select from your favourite Playlists, Albums, Artists & more with Apple Music integration.
• Team up with your bestie and discover workouts designed specifically for two.
• Select from a range of workouts styles including Cardio, HIIT, Strength, Tabata & Circuit.
• Enjoy a variety of stretching sessions to support recovery and rest.
• Set a workout goal and review your progress throughout the week.
• Stay accountable with notifications that keep you on track.
• Easily search for your favourite workouts using Spotlight.
• Download workouts directly to your iPhone for offline access.
• Share your workout activity with your closest friends and community.
• Save your favourite workouts so they’re ready when you are.

Zova for Apple Watch helps you work towards your goal and maintain your fitness on the go:

• View your heart rate with real time monitoring.
• See your Heart Rate on the big screen with the new Apple TV.
• Track your workouts using Apple Watch activity ring.
• See your progress in real time on the workout overview screen.
• Check your technique with exercises right on your wrist.
• Receive gentle nudges when it’s time to workout.
• Access playback controls with force touch.

 

…Zova Premium is available as an In-App Purchase. You can subscribe and pay through your iTunes account. Your subscription will automatically renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Auto-renew may be turned off by going to your Account Settings after purchase. In the United States Zova Premium is $9.99/month. Prices will vary on location.

Ulysses Mobile (iOS)

Ulysses for iPhone and iPad is your one-stop writing environment on iOS. Whether you’re a novelist, a journalist, a student or a blogger – if you love to write and write a lot, Ulysses gives you a uniquely streamlined toolset, covering every phase of the writing process:

– A powerful, yet simple text editor.
– A familiar, no-nonsense text library.
– A reliable iCloud sync across all devices and Ulysses for Mac.
– A comprehensive and truly flexible multi-format export.

Of course, the heart and soul of a writing app is its editor. And Ulysses is said to have the best text editor in the world. It offers everything you need – from markup to images and footnotes, from links to comments and code –, and it still manages to stay completely out of the way. It’s a beautiful and focused experience, which turns writing on mobile into *actual fun*.

But since Ulysses takes writing seriously, it does not stop at the editor. Its unified library offers unprecedented access to everything you’ll ever write, be it snippets and ideas, be it blog posts or manuscripts. Every text is at your fingertips, and Ulysses perfectly scales from scratchpad to diary to Great American Novels – and to everything in-between.

Best of all, Ulysses offers fully-fledged, no-holds-barred, all-out iCloud sync. Ulysses is available for all your devices, be it Mac, iPad or iPhone, and every connected device has access to everything and anything you’ll ever write. Synchronization is simple, seamless and neither requires third-party apps, nor any kind of interaction. If you got iCloud, you got sync.

And once you’re finished, export is only a tap away. Ulysses can transform your text into beautiful PDFs, web pages, ebooks and Word documents. You can copy as HTML, save to the cloud as Markdown, and even publish a draft to your Medium account. Export is as easy as tapping a format, selecting a style, and chosing a destination. Yes, 1-2-3. No need to leave the app.

djay Pro (iPad)

djay Pro provides a complete toolkit for performing DJs. Built exclusively for iPad, djay Pro seamlessly integrates with your media library and Spotify, giving you instant access to millions of tracks. Pristine sound quality and a powerful set of features including high-definition waveforms, four decks, and video mixing give you endless creative flexibility to take your sets to new heights.

Head on over to the Apple Design Awards page for more information about each app and team behind each.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel