Apple’s secret list of best iPhone apps and games for 2024 finally revealed – and top pick is only six months old

APPLE’S official list of 2024’s best iPhone apps and games is finally out – and the top pick is worth using every single day.

A crack team of app-testing experts at Apple HQ picked out the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro downloads you can’t afford to miss.

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Exactly 17 apps and games were named in this year’s selection, and The Sun has got the full list.

Apple said that the apps had to demonstrate “the highest levels of user experience, design, and innovation” to win one of the coveted App Store Award trophies.

Top of the pile this year was Kino – Apple’s official iPhone App of the Year.

It’s a six-month-old camera app designed to shoot cinematic footage, so you’ll feel like you’ve got Hollywood in your hand.

The app serves up professional-style colour grading and toning in an easy-to-use format so anyone can get involved.

It was created by Lux Optics, the makers of the very popular photography app Halide.

Apple’s pick for iPhone Game of the Year was AFK Journey.

It’s a free-to-play fantasy RPG with an idle element that continues even while you’re offline.

“We are thrilled to honor this impressive group of developers who are harnessing the power of Apple devices and technology,” said Apple chief Tim Cook.

“To deliver experiences that enrich the lives of users and have a profound impact on their communities.

“The remarkable achievements of this year’s winners demonstrate the incredible ingenuity that can be unlocked through apps.”

Apple also included an Apple Vision Pro category, awarding apps and games for its “spatial computing” headset.

The Sun tested the goggles earlier this year in our Apple Vision Pro review – and even spoke to Apple boss Tim Cook about how he uses the headset.

Apple’s top app on the headset was Disney’s What If…? An Immersive Story.

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What If…? is Disney’s reimagining of famous events from the Marvel Cinemaic Universe.

And this app delivers an interactive version of What If…? so it feels like you’re there.

Apple also gave awards to a Cultural Impact category, which had six different winners.

The tech giant explained: “In addition to recognizing apps and games across Apple devices, App Store Editors also selected six Cultural Impact winners, recognizing the lasting impact these apps and games have made in users’ lives and communities.

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“This year’s winners empowered users to tap into their intellectual curiosity, fostered connection among family and friends, and championed a more accessible world.”

Here’s the full list of winners…

APPLE APP AWARDS 2024 WINNERS – BEST IPHONE APPS AND GAMES LIST

Here are the winning apps:

• iPhone App of the Year: Kino, from Lux Optics Inc.
• iPad App of the Year: Moises, from Moises Systems Inc.
• Mac App of the Year: Adobe Lightroom, from Adobe Inc.
• Apple Vision Pro App of the Year: What If…? An Immersive Story, from Disney.
• Apple Watch App of the Year: Lumy, from Raja V.
• Apple TV App of the Year: F1 TV, from Formula One Digital Media Limited.

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And here are the winning games:

• iPhone Game of the Year: AFK Journey, from Farlight Games.
• iPad Game of the Year: Squad Busters, from Supercell.
• Mac Game of the Year: Thank Goodness You’re Here!, from Panic, Inc.
• Apple Vision Pro Game of the Year: THRASHER: Arcade Odyssey, from Puddle, LLC.
• Apple Arcade Game of the Year: Balatro+, from Playstack Ltd.

Finally, this is the list of Apple’s Cultural Impact winners for the 2024 App Awards:

• Oko, from AYES BV
• EF Hello, from Signum International AG
• DailyArt, from Zuzanna Stanska
• NYT Games, from The New York Times Company
• The Wreck, from The Pixel Hunt
• Do You Really Want to Know? 2, from Gamtropy Co., Ltd.

It’s worth noting that these apps aren’t necessarily the most downloaded or highest-earning apps.

They’re specifically picked out by Apple’s App Store editors, rather than being the apps that rank at the top of the App Store.