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Apple unveils 30+ Apple Design Award app finalists

Apple just sent press invites for the WWDC 2026 keynote, and the company has also unveiled the 30+ apps that are Apple Design Award finalists heading into this year’s conference. Here’s the full list.

Apple Design Awards finalists for 2026 revealed

The Apple Design Awards recognize the best of the App Store each year. Winners will be announced in the coming weeks leading up to WWDC. But ahead of the conference, Apple has unveiled its finalists for this year.

There are 36 total finalists competing in six categories, with three apps and three games competing in each category. However, certain apps are finalists across multiple categories, so the total number of apps is a little shy of 36.

Here’s the full list, published here:

Delight and Fun: “Finalists in this category provide memorable, engaging, and satisfying experiences enhanced by Apple technologies.”

Inclusivity: “Finalists in this category provide a great experience for all by reflecting a variety of backgrounds, abilities, and languages.”

Innovation: “Finalists in this category provide a state‑of‑the‑art experience through a novel use of Apple technologies that sets them apart in their genre.”

Interaction: “Finalists in this category deliver intuitive interfaces and effortless controls that are perfectly tailored to their platform.”

Social Impact: “Finalists in this category improve lives in a meaningful way and shine a light on crucial issues.”

Visuals and Graphics: “Finalists in this category feature stunning imagery, skillfully drawn interfaces, and high-quality animations with a distinctive and cohesive theme.”

Which apps from this year’s finalists stands out to you? Let us know in the comments.

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Avatar for Ryan Christoffel Ryan Christoffel

Ryan got his start in journalism as an Editor at MacStories, where he worked for four years covering Apple news, writing app reviews, and more. For two years he co-hosted the Adapt podcast on Relay FM, which focused entirely on the iPad. As a result, it should come as no surprise that his favorite Apple device is the iPad Pro.