Apple officially announces the annual Best App Award, with the visual AI planning tool Tiimo taking the top spot

Apple Inc. officially announced the 2025 App Store Awards list on Thursday, continuing its tradition of recognizing the best apps and games from the past year. The visual AI planning tool Tiimo won the title of iPhone App of the Year, reflecting how artificial intelligence technology is deeply integrating from single conversational interactions to specific contextual applications, gradually becoming the core driving force of the mobile software ecosystem. Although Apple did not directly select a dedicated AI chatbot as the App of the Year in this selection, the application of artificial intelligence technology is ubiquitous in this year's award list. For example, the award-winning app Tiimo is described as a visual AI planner that utilizes AI technology to break down users' to-do lists into practical schedules, assisting users in planning by estimating the duration required for each step. This list covers Apple's entire hardware ecosystem, from iPhone and iPad to Vision Pro and Apple Watch. In addition to productivity tools, the card game Pokémon TCG Pocket was awarded iPhone Game of the Year. The final award list was selected from 45 nominated apps and games announced in November, ultimately narrowing down to 17 winners, demonstrating Apple's strict control over the quality of its software ecosystem. Additionally, Apple also selected several applications with "cultural impact," aiming to recognize software that provides practical tools, promotes understanding, or makes the world more inclusive. This indicates that while Apple focuses on technological innovation, it continues to emphasize the contribution of the application ecosystem to social value. Deep Integration of AI Functions Although Apple avoided allowing a single AI tool to dominate the list, AI technology has become a key assistant in enhancing the efficiency of various award-winning applications. In addition to the iPhone App of the Year Tiimo, which uses AI for task breakdown and time management, the iPad App of the Year Detail also simplifies the video production process through AI technology. This app features an "Auto Edit" AI function that can automatically handle tasks such as removing silence, zoom editing, and adding titles and subtitles. The penetration of AI also extends to health and reading fields. The award-winning Apple Watch app Strava introduced an AI assistant that can transform users' workout data into in-depth analytical insights. The award-winning app StoryGraph utilizes machine learning AI to provide personalized book recommendations based on users' reading data. Another award-winning app, Be My Eyes, uses an AI assistant to provide visual descriptions of real-world images for blind and low-vision users. Recognition of Cultural Impact In addition to technological innovation, Apple also emphasizes the social value carried by applications through the "Cultural Impact" award. Award-winning applications contribute in various ways to promoting understanding and building an inclusive society. Among them, the award-winning app StoryGraph utilizes machine learning AI to provide personalized book recommendations based on users' reading data Another award-winning application, Be My Eyes, provides an AI assistant for blind and low-vision users, capable of describing images in the real world in real-time, offering visual assistance. Additionally, the list of award winners includes the narrative puzzle game "Chants of Sennaar," the distraction-blocking tool Focus Friend developed by Hank Green (which is also the Google Play App of the Year), the casual puzzle application Art of Fauna, and the soccer game "despelote," among others. Overview of Award Winners by Platform According to the final list released by Apple, the 17 award-winning applications and games for the 2025 App Store Awards cover all major hardware platforms under Apple, as follows: iPhone App of the Year: Tiimo iPhone Game of the Year: Pokémon TCG Pocket iPad App of the Year: Detail iPad Game of the Year: DREDGE Mac App of the Year: Essayist Mac Game of the Year: Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition Apple Vision Pro App of the Year: Explore POV Apple Vision Pro Game of the Year: Porta Nubi Apple Watch App of the Year: Strava Apple TV App of the Year: HBO Max Apple Arcade Game of the Year: WHAT THE CLASH?