Today, Apple unveiled the recipients of the 2024 App Store Awards, celebrating applications and games that have “inspired creativity, facilitated personal achievements, and allowed people to savor precious moments with loved ones.”
I had the opportunity to engage with three of the awardees this year and explore the journeys behind the creation of their acclaimed apps.
Crafting an Apple Award-Winning App in 2024
Kino by Lux Optics
Kino by Lux Optics took home the title of iPhone App of the Year 2024. This filmmaking application is the brainchild of the same team that developed Halide, co-founded by Sebastiaan de With and Ben Sandofsky. The app is designed with the ethos of creating “a filmmaking app, not just for filmmakers.”
“With Kino, we opted for a different approach compared to our earlier applications, focusing on accessibility for those who may not be seasoned filmmakers. We aimed to develop an app that allows anyone to capture stunning videos with a simple tap of the record button,” Ben shared. “Our goal with Kino was to empower anyone to produce cinematic footage using just their phone.”
Ben further elaborated on another principle he and Sebastiaan embraced during the app’s development:
“Developing Kino was motivated by our experiences as parents. With a 10-month-old, moments can slip away in an instant if you aren’t ready. We needed an app that allows quick access to capture cinematic moments, similar to how our parents would use 16mm film.”
“We envisioned a tool that would mean cinematic filming in our daily lives.”
“Creating a camera app provides a unique perspective on how users see the world. We’ve received multimedia from diverse locations such as Kazakhstan, Antarctica, and Iceland, and it’s a rewarding experience,” Sebastiaan added.
Both Ben and Sebastiaan expressed appreciation for Apple’s backing as small indie developers, fully aware that Apple could gain more by collaborating with major corporations.
“Apple’s support for small indie apps like ours is remarkable. Clearly, we cannot rival multi-billion-dollar businesses. Apple has the potential to yield greater profits by partnering with larger companies,” Sandofsky noted. “However, their support empowers us. They’ve helped us enhance performance and provided considerable assistance throughout.”
You can explore Kino on the App Store now.
Adobe Lightroom
Adobe Lightroom was honored as this year’s Mac App of the Year. I was eager to learn about Adobe’s evolving dedication to the Mac platform and what it signifies to receive this award nearly 20 years following its initial launch.
“Apple remains a vital partner for Adobe. A significant number of our users prefer the platform, and we are determined to deliver the best experience there,” Stephen Baloglu, Adobe’s director of product marketing, shared.
“The fantastic element of our partnership is how Apple continuously challenges us to push the boundaries of what can be accomplished with their lenses and Mac technology. We seamlessly integrate to provide an enriched customer experience,” Baloglu explained.
Katrin Eismann, product manager for Adobe Lightroom Learning and Inspiration, elaborated:
“Having used Apple products for over 30 years, I can appreciate their unwavering commitment to quality and usability. A key instance of this is their HDR displays that facilitate our HDR imaging capabilities. It’s vital to have HDR displays to make HDR content engaging, resulting in a wonderful symbiosis between us and Apple.”
You can download Adobe Lightroom for Mac starting today.
Moises
This year’s iPad App of the Year is Moises, which provides musicians with enhanced control over their creative processes. Moises employs AI to isolate vocals and instruments from any track, identify chords, modify pitch, generate a metronome, and more.
A particularly intriguing detail shared by the Moises team was regarding Elo Casagrande, the drummer from Slipknot. Cofounder and COO Eddie Hsu recounted an interaction they had with him:
“Elo Casagrande was named the best metal drummer of 2024. We ran into him in a studio, and he mentioned that he owes his position in Slipknot to our app.”
“He explained that a Slipknot cover he posted on YouTube caught the band’s eye. Consequently, they invited him to audition, during which he utilized Moises to study all 32 songs he needed to know.”
“By isolating the drums, he could grasp the specific intricacies of each part. In addition, he was able to slow the tracks down for practice, ensuring he was fully prepared for the auditions, which ultimately led to him being hired by the band. It’s an inspiring story.”
During our conversation, the Moises team expressed how their initial version focused on the iPhone. They successfully expanded to the iPad, thanks to Apple’s assistance and developer resources:
“Our collaboration with Apple has been fantastic. They have continually provided constructive feedback, not just on feature sets but also on overall user experience,” Moises co-founder and CEO Geraldo Ramos remarked.
Jardson Almeida, the cofounder and chief experience officer, elaborated:
“We’ve actively sought user input from musicians and engaged in Apple workshops to comprehend human interface guidelines better, enabling us to adapt our application to the iPad for a more intuitive user experience.”
“Apple has taken a very hands-on approach with us, assisting in design elements, specific graphics, and user experience development as we worked together,” Hsu concluded.
You can download Moises from the App Store today.
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