Apple Design Awards

The Apple Design Awards (also known as the ADA) is a special event hosted by Apple Inc. at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. The event is meant to recognize the best and most innovative Macintosh and iOS software and hardware produced by independent developers, as well as the best and most creative uses of Apple's products. The ADAs, as they are commonly known, are awarded in a variety of categories which vary from year to year. The Apple Design Awards have been presented each year since 1996, though for the first two years of their existence they were known as the Human Interface Design Excellence (HIDE) Awards.

Since 2003 the physical awards were designed with an Apple logo that glows when touched. These new awards were engineered and built by Sparkfactor Design.^[1][2]

Winners

2017^[3]

• Blackbox by Ryan McLeod - iPhone
• Splitter Critters by RAC7 Games - iPhone, iPad
• Mushroom 11 by Untame - iPhone, iPad
• Old Man's Journey by Broken Rules - iPhone, iPad
• Severed by DrinkBox Studios - iPhone, iPad
• Lake by Lake d.o.o - iPhone, iPad
• Bear by Shiny Frog di Matteo Rattotti e C. S.N.C. - iPhone, iPad, and Mac
• Kitchen Stories by AJNS New Media GmbH - iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple TV
• Things 3 by Cultured Code GmbH & Co. KG - iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac
• Elk by Clean Shaven Apps Pte. Ltd. - iPhone, Apple Watch
• Enlight by Lightricks Inc. - iPhone, iPad
• AirMail by Bloop - iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch

2016^[4]

• Complete Anatomy by 3D4Medical - iPad
• Streaks by Zervaas Enterprises. - iPhone and Apple Watch
• Zova - Personal Trainer ZOVA - AppleTV
• Frame.io - Video Review and Collaboration by Frame.io - iPhone, iPad
• Ulysses by The Soulmen GbR - Mac, iPhone and iPad
• Chameleon Run by Noodlecake Studios Inc. - iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV
• Lara Croft GO by Square Enix Montreal - iPhone and iPad
• INKS. by State of Play Games - iPhone and iPad
• Auxy Music Creation by Auxy - iPad
• djay Pro by algoriddim GmbH- Mac and iPad

Student Winners

• Linum by Joaquín Ramírez Vila - iPhone, iPad
• Dividr by Josh Deichmann, Patrick Pistor, and Erik Lydick - iPhone, iPad

2015^[5]

• Shadowmatic by Triada Studio - iPhone and iPad
• Metamorphabet by Vectorpark, Inc. - iPhone
• Robinhood by Robinhood Markets - iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch
• Affinity Designer by Serif Europe - Mac
• Crossy Road by Hipster Whale Pty Ltd. - iPhone and iPad
• Fantastical 2 by Flexibits Inc. - Mac
• Workflow by DeskConnect, Inc. - iPhone and iPad
• Does Not Commute by Mediocre AB - iPhone and iPad
• Vainglory by Super Evil Megacorp - iPhone and iPad
• Pacemaker by Pacemaker Music AB - iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch

Student Winners

• Elementary Minute by Klemens Strasser - iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch
• jump-O by Gabriel Mathias Rocha and Victor Lappas Giménez

2014^[6]

• Leo’s Fortune by 1337 and Senri
• Day One by Bloom Built
• Blek by kunabi brother (Denis and Davor Mikan)
• Yahoo News Digest by Yahoo
• Threes! by Sirvo
• Cinemagraph Pro by Flixel Photos
• Device 6 by Simogo
• Storehouse-Visual Storytelling by Storehouse Media
• Sky Guide by Fifth Star Labs
• Monument Valley by ustwo Studio

Student Winners

• PanoPerfect by HalfPeeled LLC and TwoBros
• Addimal Adventure by Teachley

2013^[7]

• WWF Together by World Wildlife Fund - iPad
• Procreate by Savage Interactive Pty Ltd - iPad
• Badland by Frogmind - iPhone and iPad
• Yahoo! Weather by Yahoo! - iPhone and iPad
• Letterpress by atebits - iPhone and iPad
• Ridiculous Fishing by Vlambeer - iPhone and iPad
• Sky Gamblers: Storm Raiders by Atypical Games - iPhone, iPad, and Mac
• Coda 2 by Panic, Inc. - Mac
• Evernote by Evernote Corporation - Mac, iPhone, and iPad
• Finish. by Student Winner: Ryan Orbuch and Michael Hansen - iPhone
• mosaic.io by Student Winner: Ishaan Gulrajani, Alex List, and Zain Shah - iPhone and iPad

Student Scholarship Design Award Winners

• Louis Harboe
• Bryan Keller
• Puck Meerburg

2012^[8]

Student:

• daWindci by Mimimi Productions
• Little Star by BiBoBox Studio

iPhone:

• Where's My Water by Disney Interactive Studios
• Jetpack Joyride by Halfbrick Studios
• National Parks by National Geographic by National Geographic Society

iPad:

• Paper by FiftyThree, Inc.
• Bobo Explores Light by Game Collage, LLC
• DM1 - The Drum Machine by Fingerlab

Mac:

• Deus Ex: Human Revolution by Feral Interactive
• LIMBO by Playdead
• Sketch by Bohemian Coding

2011^[9]

Student:

• Grades 2 by Tapity
• Pennant by Vargatron
• Pulse News by Alphonso Labs

iPhone:

• Cut the Rope by Chillingo
• Golfscape GPS Rangefinder by Shotzoom Software
• Infinity Blade by Chair Entertainment

iPad:

• Osmos by Hemisphere Games
• Our Choice by Push Pop Press
• djay by algoriddim

Mac:

• Capo by SuperMegaUltraGroovy
• Pixelmator by Pixelmator Team Ltd.
• Anomaly: Warzone Earth by 11 bit studios

2010

Best iPad apps:

• The Financial Times by The Financial Times Ltd.
• TabToolkit by Agile Partners
• Flight Control HD by Firemint
• Star Walk for iPad - Interactive Astronomy Guide by Vito Technology Inc
• Pinball HD by Gameprom

Best iPhone apps:

• Doodle Jump by Lima Sky LLC
• Brushes by Steve Sprang
• Articles by Sophiestication Software
• 20 Minute Meals - Jamie Oliver by Zolmo
• Real Racing by Firemint

2009

Mac OS X Leopard Developer Showcase:

• Billings by Marketcircle Inc.
• BoinxTV v1.3 by Boinx Software
• Things v1.1 by Cultured Code
• Versions v1.0.3 by Pico and Sofa

Best Mac OS X Student Product:

• Fontcase v1.1.3 by Pieter Omvlee

iPhone Developer Showcase:

• MLB.com At Bat 2009 v1.0.1 by MLB.com
• Postage v1.0 by RogueSheep
• Topple 2 v1.1 by ngmoco:)
• Tweetie v1.3.1 by atebits LLC

Best iPhone Student App:

• Wooden Labyrinth 3D v1.2.1 by Elias Pietilä

Best iPhone OS 3.0 Beta App:

• AccuTerra v1.0.0 Beta by AccuTerra

2008

Best Leopard Student Product:

• Winner: Squirrel by Axel Péju
• Runner Up: Flow 1.0.1 by Brian Amerige

Best Mac OS X Leopard Graphics and Media Application:

• Winner: ScreenFlow by Vara Software Limited
• Runner Up: FotoMagico by Boinx Software Ltd.

Best Mac OS X Leopard User Experience:

• Winner: Macnification by Orbicule
• Runner Up: Checkout by Werck BV

Best Mac OS X Leopard Game:

• Winner: Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock by Aspyr Media
• Runner Up: Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars by Electronic Arts

Best Mac OS X Leopard Application:

• Winner: ScreenFlow by Vara Software Limited
• Runner Up: Bee Docs Timeline 3D Edition by Bee Documents

Best iPhone Web App:

• Winner: Remember the Milk by Remember the Milk
• Runner Up: AP Mobile News Network by The Associated Press

Best iPhone Game Winner:

• Enigmo by Pangea Software

Best iPhone Entertainment Application Winner:

• AOL Radio by AOL LLC

Best iPhone Social Networking Application Winner:

• Twitterrific by The Iconfactory

Best iPhone Productivity Application Winner:

• OmniFocus by The Omni Group

Best iPhone Healthcare & Fitness Application Winner:

• MIM by MIMvista Corp.

2007

Best Mac OS X Leopard Application

• Winner: Delicious Library 2 (alpha), Delicious Monster
• Runner Up: iBank 3.0a, IGG Software

Best Mac OS X User Experience

• Winner: Coda 1.0, Panic Software
• Runner Up: Sandvox 1.2, Karelia Software

Best Mac OS X Developer Tool

• Winner: CSSEdit 2.5, MacRabbit
• Runner Up: rooSwitch 1.1.8, roobasoft

Best Mac OS X Dashboard Widget

• Winner: BART Widget, Bret Victor
• Runner Up: PEMDAS 1.1, Michael Filippone

Best Mac OS X Scientific Computing Solution

• Winner: Papers 1.0, mekentosj.com
• Runner Up: SingleCrystal 1.3, CrystalMaker Software

Best Mac OS X Game

• Winner: World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, Blizzard Entertainment
• Runner Up: Wacky Mini Golf! 1.01, DanLabGames

Best Mac OS X Student Product

• Winner: Picturesque 1.0, Acqualia
• Runner Up: Pathway 1.0, Dennis Lorson

2006

Best Mac OS X User Experience

• Winner: iSale 3.1 equinux
• Runner Up: Boinx FotoMagico 1.7

Best OS X Graphics

• Winner: modo
• Runner Up: Unity

Best Developer Tool

• Winner: TextMate 1.5
• Runner Up: F-Script

Best Scientific Computing Solution

• Winner: EnzymeX 3.1
• Runner Up: FuzzMeasure Pro 2

Best Game

• Winner: The Sims 2
• Runner Up: WingNuts 2, Freeverse

Best Mac OS X Student Product

• Winner: Lineform, Freeverse 1.1
• Runner Up: PhotoPresenter

Best Widget

• Winner: iClip Lite
• Runner Up: WeatherBug Local Weather

Best Automator Workflow

• Winner: Build Real Estate Catalog/Ultimate Productivity Action Pack
• Runner Up: Lecture Recording Workflow 1.2, University of Michigan School of Dentistry

2005

Best Mac OS X Tiger Technology Adoption

• Winner: Transmit 3.2, Panic, Inc.
• Runner Up: iSale 1.7, equinux
• Special Mention: OmniOutliner 3.0.3, The Omni Group

Best Mac OS X User Experience

• Winner: Delicious Library 1.5, Delicious Monster
• Runner Up: 3D Weather Globe & Atlas Mac OS X Edition, Software MacKiev

Best Product New to Mac OS X

• Winner: Comic Life 1.1, plasq
• Runner Up: Delicious Library 1.5, Delicious Monster
• Special Mention: eDrawings for Mac 2006, SolidWorks

Best Mac OS X Entertainment Product

• Winner: World of Warcraft 1.3.1, Blizzard Entertainment
• Runner Up: Jammin' Racer 1.01, DanLabGames

Best Use of Open Source

• Winner: OsiriX 1.6.4, Antoine Rosset, Osman Ratib, Lance Pysher, David Davies-Payne, Luca Spadola, Bruce Rakes
• Runner Up: Blender 2.36, Blender Foundation
• Special Mention: AdiumX, Evan Schoenberg, Adam Iser

Best Mac OS X Scientific Computing Solution

• Winner: DataTank 2005-5, Visual Data Tools, Inc.
• Runner Up: OsiriX 1.6.4, Antoine Rosset, Osman Ratib, Lance Pysher, David Davies-Payne, Luca Spadola, Bruce Rakes
• Special Mention: Mathematica, Wolfram Research

Best Mac OS X Server Solution

• Winner: Quicksilver InfiniBand Software for Mac OS X, SilverStorm Technologies (now QLogic), Small Tree Communications
• Runner Up: Elektron 1.0.1, Corriente Networks LLC

Best Mac OS X Student Product

• Winner: GraphClick, Simon Bovet
• Runner Up: iMap 3.1, Peter Schols
• Special Mention: Sonic Birth, Antoine Missout

2004

Best Mac OS X Product

• Winner: Big Bang Chess 1.0, Freeverse Software
• Runner-up: Unison 1.0.2a, Panic Inc.

Best Product New to Mac OS

• Winner: Contribute 2, Macromedia Inc.
• Runner-up: GraphViz 1.12 (v11), Pixelglow Software

Most Innovative Mac OS X Product

• Winner: ToySight 1.0, Freeverse Software
• Runner-up: SwordfishExpress 2.0, buyolympia.com

Best Mac OS X User Experience

• Winner: Unison 1.0.2a, Panic Inc.
• Runner-up: SOHO Business Cards 1.0, Chronos LLC

Best Mac OS X Technology Adoption

• Winner: Big Bang Chess 1.0, Freeverse Software
• Runner-up: PulpFiction 1.0, Freshly Squeezed Software

Best Mac OS X Open Source Product

• Winner: GraphViz 1.12 (v11), Pixelglow Software
• Runner-up: PureFTPd Manager 1.2, Jean-Matthieu Schaffhauser

Best Mac OS X Server Solution

• Winner: iNquiry 4.05d, The BioTeam
• Runner-up: gridMathematica 1.1, Wolfram Research, Inc.

Best Mac OS X Entertainment Product

• Winner: Unreal Tournament 2004 for Macintosh v1.0, MacSoft
• Runner-up: Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne v1.0, Blizzard Entertainment

Best Mac OS X Scientific Computing Solution

• Winner: Mac TetrUSS v010804, NASA Langley Research Center
• Runner-up: Volocity 2.6.1, Improvision
• Honorable Mention: IBM XL Fortran Advanced Edition 8.1, IBM

Best Mac OS X Student Product

• Winner: 4Peaks, Alexander Griekspoor, Tom Groothuis, Oncology Graduate School Amsterdam
• Runner-up: Curvus Pro X, Simon Bovet, University of Zurich, Switzerland

Best QuickTime Content for Education

• Winner: Conflict Lab’s Rotunda, Conflict Lab, Inc.
• Runner-up: Commanding Heights, WGBH Interactive

Best QuickTime Content for Promotion

• Winner: Robbie Williams “Knebworth” QuickTime Promo, Bluish, Ltd.
• Runner-up: Yamashiro Restaurant Virtual Tour, Axis Images

Best QuickTime Content for Entertainment

• Winner: FreeCaster Sports, Barsark AB
• Runner-up: Bright and Shine, Antonio Hui

Best Performance Demo of a Shipping Product

• Winner: ATI Technologies, Inc, ATI Animusic’s Pipe Dream Demo
• Runner-up: ATI Technologies, Inc, ATI Rendering with Natural Light Demo

Most Innovative Apple Technology Performance Demo

• Winner: Advanced Analytic System Design, Inc., Freefall
• Runner-up: Symbiot, Symbiot iSIMS

2003

Best Mac OS X Product (Best of Show)

• Winner: Salling Clicker 1.5, Salling Software
• Runner Up: World Book 2003 Jaguar Edition, Software MacKiev

Most Innovative Mac OS X Product

• Winner: Salling Clicker 1.5, Salling Software
• Runner Up: Starry Night Pro 4.0, SPACE.com Canada

Best Mac OS X User Experience

• Winner: Starry Night Backyard 4.0, SPACE.com Canada
• Runner Up: Transmit 2, Panic

Best Mac OS X Technology Adoption

• Winner: World Book 2003 Jaguar Edition, Software MacKiev
• Runner Up: Spell Catcher X, Evan Gross

Best Mac OS X Student Product

• Winner: Hydra 1.0.1, Martin Ott, Martin Pittenauer, Dominik Wagner, and Ulrich Bauer (now renamed SubEthaEdit)
• Runner Up: SignalScope 1.0.5, Benjamin Faber

Best Mac OS X Use of Open Source

• Winner: Fugu 1.0, University of Michigan
• Runner Up: VLC 0.5.3, Samuel Hocevar

Best Mac OS X Server Solution:

• Winner: iNquiry 1.0, BioTeam
• Runner Up: Radmind 0.8.4, University of Michigan

Best QuickTime Content Created by a Student

• Winner: Drive By Punch, Stephen Mebs
• Runner Up: Nature and Water, Mario Palomera /]

Best QuickTime Content Created by an Individual

• Winner: OICs MusicBox Presenting Superfluid, Robert West and Michael Schaff
• Runner Up: Paraphonic Midnight Sounds, Jonathan Puckey, Andreas Pihlström & Linus Wahlstedt

Best QuickTime Content Created by a Company

• Winner: BMW Films Campaign—"The Hire" Enhanced Film Experience, Fallon Worldwide
• Runner Up: The Beautiful Mistake QuickTime Player, Tubatomic Studio

2002

Best New Mac OS X Product

• Winner: Toon Boom Studio 1.1, Toon Boom
• Runner Up: Marketcircle DayLite 1.0.1, Marketcircle Inc.

Most Innovative Mac OS X Product

• Winner: Watson 1.5, Karelia Software, LLC
• Runner Up: Toon Boom Studio 1.1, Toon Boom

Best Mac OS X User Experience

• Winner: OmniGraffle 2.0, Omni Development Inc.
• Runner Up: STX 1.0, Salon Transcripts

Best Mac OS X Technology Adoption

• Winner: OmniGraffle 2.0, Omni Development Inc.
• Runner Up: Vektor 3 3.1.3, Manfred Schubert

Best Mac OS X Open Source Port

• Winner: TeXShop 1.19, Richard Koch, Mathematics Department, University of Oregon
• Runner Up: SIDekick 1.1, Axel Wefers

Best Mac OS X Student Product

• Winner: MacJournal 2.1, Dan Schimpf
• Runner Up: CanCombineIcons 2.1.0, David Remahl

2001

Best New Mac OS X Product

• Winner: OmniWeb 4.0, The Omni Group
• Runner Up: Xtools 1.0.3, Tenon Intersystems

Most Innovative Mac OS X Product

• Winner: Xtools 1.0.3, Tenon Intersystems
• Runner Up: MYOB AccountEdge 1.0, MYOB US, Inc.

Best Mac OS X User Experience

• Winner: OmniWeb 4.0, The Omni Group
• Runner Up: Drive 10 1.0.0, Micromat, Inc.

Best Mac OS X Technology Adoption

• Winner: AutoCompleter 1.0, Catchy Software
• Runner Up: REALbasic 3.2, REAL Software, Inc.

2000

Best New Product

• Winner: ViaVoice Millennium Edition, IBM
• Runner Up: Thinking Home 1.0, Always Thinking, Inc.

Most Innovative Product

• Winner: LiveStage Professional, Totally Hip Software Inc.
• Runner Up: Thinking Home 1.0, Always Thinking, Inc.

Best Look & Feel

• Winner: Math Mysteries 1.0, Tom Snyder Productions
• Runner Up: REALbasic 2.0, REAL Software, Inc.

Best Apple Technology Adoption

• Winner: Thinking Home 1.0, Always Thinking, Inc.
• Runner Up: LiveStage Professional, Totally Hip Software Inc.

1999

Best New Product

• Winner: REALbasic 1.0, REAL Software
• Runner-Up: Disk Warrior 1.0, Alsoft

Most Innovative

• Winner: Disk Warrior 1.0, Alsoft
• Runner-Up: REALbasic 1.0, REAL Software

Best Macintosh User Experience

• Winner: Food Chain 1.0, Cajun Games
• Runner-Up: REALbasic 1.0, REAL Software

Best Apple Technology Adoption

• Winner: Cutie Mascot Jr. 1.5, Kohshin Graphic Systems
• Runner-Up: Virtual Game Station, Connectix

1998

Most Innovative

• Winner: Flash 2, Macromedia
• First Runner-Up: Legacy of Time: The Journeyman Project 3, Presto Studios, Inc.
• Second Runner-Up: Office 98 Macintosh Edition, Microsoft Corporation

Best Look & Feel

• Winner: Preflight Pro 1.0, Extensis Corporation
• First Runner-Up: PlusMaker 1.0.1, Alsoft, Inc.
• Second Runner-Up: Virtual PC 2.0, Connectix Corporation

Best Apple Technology Adoption

• Winner: Stuffit Deluxe 4.5, Aladdin Systems, Inc.
• First Runner-Up: PowerMail 2.0, CTM Development
• Second Runner-Up: FaceSpan 3.0, Digital Technology International

1997 Human Interface Design Excellence (HIDE) Award

Most Innovative

• Winner: Kai’s Power GOO 1.0, MetaTools, Inc.
• First Runner Up: Starry Night Deluxe 2.0, Sienna Software, Inc.
• Second Runner Up: YOYO Telephone Manager for Macintosh 1.5.1, Big Island Communications, Inc.

Most Elegant

• Winner: Starry Night Deluxe 2.0, Sienna Software, Inc.
• First Runner Up: CalcWorks 1.5.2, John Brochu
• Second Runner Up: AMBER: Journeys Beyond 1.0, Changeling, Inc.

Best Look & Feel

• Winner: YOYO Telephone Manager for Macintosh 1.5.1, Big Island Communications, Inc.
• First Runner Up: Adobe Illustrator 6.0, Adobe Systems, Inc.
• Second Runner Up: Symantec Visual Cafe for Macintosh 1.0, Symantec Corp.

Best Overall Design

• Winner: YOYO Telephone Manager for Macintosh 1.5.1, Big Island Communications, Inc.
• First Runner Up: Starry Night Deluxe 2.0, Sienna Software, Inc.
• Second Runner Up: Kai’s Power GOO 1.0, MetaTools, Inc.

References

External links

• Apple Design Awards – official site
• 2008 Winners
• WayBack Machine Cache of 2004 winners
• WayBack Machine Cache of 2003–2000 winners
• 1999 winners
• 1998 winners
• 1997 winners
• News article on the creation of these awards, in 1996