Apple announces the best apps and games of 2021, across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch, and the most downloaded apps of the year
Apple today released its anticipated annual list of the best apps and games of the year across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and Apple Watch.
Context & Ripple Effects
Apple's prior roundup gave separate device-level recognition to Wakeout!, Zoom and Disney+, while the earlier 2015 awards likewise spanned iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch and Mac. The 2021 edition continues that cross-device App Store curation rather than treating Apple’s platforms as a single storefront.
The accompanying download lists pair Apple’s editorial choices with a usage-based signal. That distinction matters in an ecosystem where later coverage reported more than $260 billion in cumulative App Store developer earnings.
First-order effects
- Developers included in Apple’s 2021 awards gain prominent App Store recognition across the relevant Apple devices, while the most-downloaded lists separately spotlight apps with broad user uptake.
- Apple reinforces its role as both the editor of annual app awards and publisher of platform-specific popularity rankings, continuing the format used in its 2020 roundup.
Second-order effects
- Developers seeking App Store visibility must contend with two parallel benchmarks: Apple’s editorial selection and download-chart performance.
- Device-specific winners and rankings give Apple TV, Apple Watch and Mac developers a discovery channel alongside the larger iPhone and iPad app markets.
Third-order effects
- The recurring awards format points to App Store discovery remaining a mix of platform curation and demand signals, rather than download charts alone.
- As Apple’s developer marketplace grows, annual recognition can become a more consequential way for Apple to shape which software categories and experiences receive attention across its hardware lineup.
The trend: Apple is maintaining the App Store as a curated, multi-device marketplace in which editorial awards sit alongside usage-driven rankings.