2015 is almost over, and Apple has released its list of its favorite apps, games, and pop culture artefacts which landed in the App Store and on iTunes over the past twelve months.
Alongside expected categories like best iPhone and iPad app, the list also includes newer categories including best apps for iPad Pro, watchOS and tvOS — and even a few (slightly suspect) picks for best movie, album and the like.
“We debated,” Apple writes. “We argued. Everyone had favorites, but to make this list of 2015’s finest, there could be no doubts. What you see here made the cut — they’re the most visionary, inventive, and irresistible apps and games of the year. After you’ve browsed our selections, don’t miss the titles that topped the charts in 2015.”
Apple names the innovative Periscope as the iPhone app of the year, while Instagram as the best iPhone 6s app, Lara Croft GO is best game, The Robot Factory is best iPad app, Dark Sky is best Apple Watch app, HBO Now is best Apple TV app, and Affinity Photo is best Mac app.
The company also announced Adele’s 25 as its album of the year, Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” as best song, Kingsman: The Secret Service as the (perhaps slightly left-field) movie of the year, Game of Thrones as best TV show, EL James’ Grey as (somehow) best fiction book, and Chris Kyle’s American Sniper as non-fiction book.
App categories are listed below in full:
iPhone app of the year: Periscope
Runners-up: Enlight, Robinhood
Most innovative: Workflow
Best app on iPhone 6s: Instagram
iPhone game of the year: Lara Croft GO
Runners-up: Fallout Shelter, Mr Jump
Most innovative iPhone app: Dark Echo
Best game on iPhone 6s: Warhammer 40,000: Freeblade
iPad app of the year: The Robot Factory
Runners-up: HBO Now, Patterning
Most innovative iPad app: LiquidText
Best app on iPad Pro: uMake
iPad game of the year: Prune
Runners-up: Rayman Adventures, Implosion
Most innovative iPad app: Her Story
Best game on iPad Pro: Zodiac: Orcanon Odyssey
Apple TV app of the year: HBO Now
Apple TV game of the year: Rayman Adventures
Apple Watch app of the year: Dark Sky
Apple Watch game of the year: Rules!
Mac app of the year: Affinity Photo
Mac game of the year: Pillars of Eternity
Runners-up: PDF Expert, Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor
Via: MacStories
