Apple reveals winners of the 2026 Apple Design Awards - Apple

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UPDATE

June 2, 2026

Apple reveals winners of ‍‍‍the 2026 Apple Design Awards

Winning developers in six categories will be recognized at ‍‍‍WWDC26

Apple announced the winners of the 2026 Apple Design Awards, honoring 12 outstanding apps and games that demonstrate innovation, artistry, and technical achievement.

Today, Apple announced the winners of the 2026 Apple Design Awards, honoring 12 outstanding apps and games. This year’s winners include development teams from around the world whose work demonstrates innovation, artistry, and technical achievement in app and game design. Winners were selected from 36 global finalists who all delivered exceptional app experiences. One app and one game were recognized across six categories, including Delight and Fun, Inclusivity, Innovation, Interaction, Social Impact, and Visuals and Graphics.

“This year’s Apple Design Award winners are a remarkable reflection of how developers are creating exceptional experiences,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. “Whether delivering intuitive features or exciting gameplay, these apps and games represent the very best of what our platform makes possible. We are incredibly proud to celebrate these developers and are grateful for their commitment to enriching the lives of people everywhere.”

Meet the 2026 Apple Design Award winners and finalists.

Delight and Fun

Winners in this category provide memorable, engaging, and satisfying experiences that are enhanced by Apple technologies.

App : grug

Developer : Ocho (Netherlands)

grug is a playful way to discover and embrace daily wisdom. The affirmation app provides a delightful way to read daily neolithic grunts. With just a simple idea, each prompt is thoughtfully delivered to offer users a small but meaningful moment of reflection.

grug by Ocho, Apple Design Award winner for Delight and Fun.

Game : Is This Seat Taken?

Developer : Poti Poti Studio (Spain)

Is This Seat Taken? is a fun way to experience and solve tricky logic puzzles. The cartoon-style game provides entertaining scenarios, helping players navigate the quirkiness of public transit. Playful interactive elements within the game create a sense of charm to support users in enjoying an unhurried ride, one seat at a time.

Is This Seat Taken? by Poti Poti Studio, Apple Design Award winner for Delight and Fun.

Finalists in this category are Blippo+ by Panic, Inc.; Metaballs by Apposite; BALL x PIT by Kenny Sun Studios; and PowerWash Simulator by FuturLab Limited (Apple Arcade).

Inclusivity

Winners in this category provide a great experience for all by reflecting a variety of backgrounds, abilities, and languages.

App : Guitar Wiz

Developer : Bijoy Thangaraj (India)

Guitar Wiz is an impactful app for new and experienced guitarists, an all-in-one toolkit that provides spoken instructions on everything from pitch to finger placement. It supports all musicians by taking advantage of Apple technologies, including Dynamic Type, Increased Contrast, and Differentiate Without Color.

Guitar Wiz by Bijoy Thangaraj, Apple Design Award winner for Inclusivity.

Game : Pine Hearts

Developer : Hyper Luminal Games Limited (United Kingdom)

By rewarding good deeds in a wholesome world, Pine Hearts is a moving game for players of all abilities. The beautifully conceived experience makes use of accessibility settings, including enhanced text legibility, customizable controls, and adjusted motion and sensory feedback.

Pine Hearts by Hyper Luminal Games Limited, Apple Design Award winner for Inclusivity.

Finalists in this category are Hearing Buddy by Lilly Seay; Structured by unorderly GmbH; Sago Mini Jinja’s Garden by Sago Mini (Apple Arcade); and Sid Meier’s Civilization VII by Firaxis Games (Apple Arcade).

Innovation

Winners in this category provide a state‑of‑the‑art experience through novel use of Apple technologies that set them apart in their genre.

App : NBA: Live Games & Scores

Developer : NBA Media Ventures, LLC (United States)

The NBA app for Apple Vision Pro offers fans an immersive viewing experience with the ability to watch up to five live games at once, follow real-time player and game stats with floating leaderboards, and see player movements on a 3D court with tabletop mode. Users can also enjoy games in Spatial Audio and experience the future of sports broadcasting with Spectrum Front Row, featuring the Lakers in Apple Immersive.

NBA: Live Games & Scores by NBA Media Ventures, LLC; Apple Design Award winner for Innovation.

Game : Blue Prince

Developer : Dogubomb (United States)

Blue Prince is a genre-defying adventure that delivers a deep narrative experience using a unique mix of exploration, puzzle-solving, and noncombat elements. The room-by-room structure is effortlessly engaging, with support for environmental storytelling found in hanging pictures and hand-scribbled...