The Six Competing Categories
The Apple Design Awards annually recognize apps that demonstrate the highest level of design craft, creativity, and technical expertise. The 36 finalists for the 2026 edition are distributed across the categories Delight and Fun, Inclusivity, Innovation, Interaction, Social Impact, and Visuals and Graphics. Apple published the finalists' names on the Apple Developer website to coincide with the opening of WWDC26.
Why It Matters
The ADA is not merely a prestige recognition: being a finalist — and especially a winner — has a concrete impact on App Store visibility, often translating into editorial featuring and meaningful download increases. Winners will be announced in the weeks following the conference, as confirmed by Apple Newsroom.