Apple names 36 finalists for Design Awards shortlist

Apple has named 36 finalists for the 2026 Apple Design Awards, spanning six categories across apps and games on its platforms.

Part of Apple's annual developer programme, the awards cover software for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV and Vision Pro. This year's categories are Delight and Fun, Inclusivity, Innovation, Interaction, Social Impact, and Visuals and Graphics.

Each category includes three app finalists and three game finalists. The shortlist mixes independent developers, established studios and large media and games groups, with several titles appearing in more than one category.

Repeat nominees

Among the repeat nominees, TR-49 was shortlisted in both Innovation and Interaction, while Tide Guide: Charts & Tables appeared in Interaction and Visuals and Graphics. Sago Mini Jinja's Garden was listed in Inclusivity and Interaction, highlighting how some titles were recognised for more than one aspect of design.

Other notable games on the list include Civilization VII, PowerWash Simulator, Ball x Pit and Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition. The finalists range from children's games and puzzle titles to sports, health, productivity and media apps.

Innovation focus

In the Innovation app category, Apple selected Detail: AI Video Editor, NBA: Live Games & Scores and D-Day: The Camera Soldier. The group reflects Apple's current emphasis on software that uses features such as on-device models, immersive media and spatial computing.

The Innovation game finalists are TR-49, Blue Prince and Pickle Pro. They span narrative puzzle design, mansion-building adventure play and a mixed-reality sports title for Vision Pro.

Vision Pro features strongly across several categories. Metaballs, NBA: Live Games & Scores, D-Day: The Camera Soldier, Pickle Pro, Primary: News in Depth and Caradise were all named finalists, underlining Apple's continued effort to expand the headset's software catalogue.

Inclusivity and impact

The Inclusivity category includes apps Guitar Wiz, Hearing Buddy and Structured, alongside games Sago Mini Jinja's Garden, Pine Hearts and Civilization VII. Together, they cover themes including accessibility support, hearing assistance, neurodivergent-friendly planning tools and representation in historical gameplay.

Two India-linked apps were among the finalists. Guitar Wiz, developed by Bijoy Thangaraj, was shortlisted in Inclusivity, while Katha Room, from Parjanya Creative Solutions, was named in Social Impact.

The Social Impact app finalists are Primary: News in Depth, Katha Room and Harvee. In games, the finalists are Consume Me, Despelote and Spilled!, which address themes such as mental health, cultural memory and environmental cleanup.

Interaction and design

The Interaction app shortlist features The Outsiders: Athlete Tracker, Moonlitt: Moon Phase Tracker and Tide Guide: Charts & Tables. The game finalists are TR-49, Sago Mini Jinja's Garden and Grand Mountain Adventure 2.

For Visuals and Graphics, the app finalists are Tide Guide: Charts & Tables, Caradise and (Not Boring) Camera. The game finalists are Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition, Arknights: Endfield and SILT.

The Delight and Fun category highlights Blippo+, Metaballs and grug in apps, and PowerWash Simulator, Is This Seat Taken? and Ball x Pit in games. The category typically rewards titles built around entertainment and distinctive style rather than utility alone.

The finalists also show the breadth of Apple's software market. Solo developers appear alongside companies such as Panic, the National Basketball Association, Square Enix Collective, 2K and CD PROJEKT RED, reinforcing the awards' role as a showcase for both small creative teams and major publishers.

Geographically, the list spans the United States, United Kingdom, India, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Slovenia, Italy, Ecuador, Poland, China, Singapore, France and Spain. That spread reflects the make-up of Apple's developer base and the increasingly global competition for visibility on its platforms.

Several shortlisted apps also point to Apple's product priorities. Some use Foundation Models, speech-to-text tools, SwiftUI or platform-specific features tied to Apple Watch and Vision Pro. Others focus less on technical novelty and more on clear interfaces, visual style or social themes.

The Apple Design Awards have run since 1997 and are closely watched by developers because shortlisted products often gain visibility on the App Store and across Apple's ecosystem. Winners are expected to be announced during the company's developer conference in June.

This year's shortlist suggests Apple wants to highlight not only visual polish and technical ambition, but also software that addresses accessibility, health, education, culture and public-interest storytelling across its devices.