This year, many App Store Awards went to apps that had a cultural impact
BeReal was awarded the iPhone App of the Year
Other apps like MacFamilyTree 10, Apex Legends Mobile, ViX and Gentler Streak also won awards
With most apps, particularly those designed to simulate social interaction, leading to the widespread isolation of people, Apple has decided to reward applications that have a positive cultural impact instead. The results are quite interesting, and they shed a light on how Apple is perceiving the future of apps to be more human-focused. Apple selected 16 different apps that offered "exceptional experiences and [made] a profound cultural impact."
BeReal – one of the most popular winners of the App Store Awards
Instagram has long been criticised for fake feeds – that is, content that is heavily curated, edited, and optimised before posting to build a specific impression of the creator. Such content has led many young teens to develop depression, eating disorders, and a general dislike for their own appearance, and while the app has been called out for its content, there really wasn’t anything done about it. Enter, BeReal, an app whose popularity soared purely because it is the opposite of Instagram.
What makes BeReal unique is that users have to post a photograph of themselves and their environment during a short 2-minute window selected by the app itself. As a result, one cannot really fake one’s reality for the sake of likes. In fact, the more candid you are, the more you’ll be supported by like-minded creators on the app.
Which apps were picked at the App Store Awards?
Apple awarded the Mac App of the Year to MacFamilyTree 10, an app that lets you create beautifully designed family trees and feel more connected to your ancestors.
ViX won Apple’s Streaming App of the Year (it is a Spanish streaming service that was developed by TelevisaUnivision).
The Apple Watch App of the Year went to Gentler Streak.
Apple awarded iPad App of the Year to GoodNotes 5, an app that lets students take notes using the Apple Pencil. The app allows users to treat the iPad like a proper notebook, letting them make notes in the margins, highlight texts, and jot down pointers quickly.
Apple awarded Apex Legends Mobile the best game, while awarding the best iPad and Mac games to Moncage and Inscryption respectively. El Hijo won the best game for Apple TV, while Wylde Flowers won the best Apple Arcade game. The first-ever China Game of the Year award went to the League of Legends Esports Manager.
Apple also gave a shoutout to a few apps for impacting culture. These included How we feel, Dot’s home, Locket Widget, Waterllama and Inua – a story in ice and time.
For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page.
Follow Us
Kajoli Anand Puri
Kajoli is a tech-enthusiast with a soft-spot for smart kitchen and home appliances. She loves exploring gadgets and gizmos that are designed to make life simpler, but also secretly fears a world run by AI. Oh wait, we’re already there. View Full Profile
