--- title: "Have You Downloaded Them? Apple's 12 Best Apps of 2017" locale: "en" language: "en-HK" published: "2017-06-21T16:01:22+08:00" updated: "2026-03-17T23:04:27.375Z" canonical: "https://accordhk.com/blog/have-you-downloaded-them-apple-s-12-best-apps-of-2017-182" --- # Have You Downloaded Them? Apple's 12 Best Apps of 2017 Apple's 2017 Design Awards recognise seven utility apps and five games. Discover the winners, from Enlight and Things 3 to Blackbox and Severed, and their standout features. ## In brief The 2017 Apple Design Awards recognised 12 apps: seven utility apps and five games. The article introduces each winner and highlights its design, features and gameplay. The five-day [Apple ]() [WWDC 2017]() Worldwide [Developers ]()Conference is currently taking place in San Jose, United States. Following its annual tradition, the Apple Design Awards ceremony is held on the evening of the first day. According to Apple's official website, 12 of this year's best [apps]() received awards. The 12 winners comprise seven apps for outstanding utility app design and five for outstanding game design. For the tens of millions of [iOS developers ]()、[and designers ]()worldwide, recognition from the Apple Design Awards carries considerable symbolic significance. Let's take a look at the games and utility apps that earned Apple's official recognition and praise: **Apple Design Awards: Seven Best Utility Apps** **1. Enlight **Utility / Photo Editing There are countless photo apps on iOS, but Enlight, an exceptionally powerful photo editing app, thoroughly deserves its selection by Apple for this year's design awards. Enlight, the photo editing app with a fox icon, comes from Israeli development team Lightricks. Its interface stands out for its fresh, clean design, while its professional image editing features rival desktop Photoshop, including compositing, colour adjustment, colour blending and 3D effects. Its straightforward controls make it easy for users to get started quickly on either an iPhone or an iPad. **2. Things 3 **Utility / Productivity Things 3 was designed by German development team Cultureed Code. The team previously won an Apple Design Award for Things in 2009. Eight years later, it has won again this year with Things 3. Now in its third generation, Things 3 brings together powerful interactive features such as calendars, to-do lists and scheduling. This well-known task management tool has long been an essential download on many Apple fans' phones and tablets. It is simple, practical and streamlined, and, crucially, supports synchronised use across iPhone, iPad and Mac. **3. AirMail 3 **Utility / Email The powerful Airmail 3 email app was developed and designed by Italy's Bloop. As an email app, Airmail 3 offers comprehensive, powerful sending and receiving features, including support for multiple accounts, calendars, cloud file transfers and gestures. It also integrates Siri voice services and allows users to customise its controls to suit their preferences and needs, making it a practical tool for working efficiently. It is available for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Airmail 3 also offers a Traditional Chinese interface. **4. Bear **Utility / Writing and Notes Bear, a writing and note-taking app, comes from Italian development team Shiny Frog di Matteo Rattotti e C.S.N.C. Available on iPhone, iPad and Mac, Bear features smooth, intuitive controls. It also supports more than 20 languages and offers powerful features including hashtags and word counts. **5. Elk **Utility / Currency Conversion Elk uses a split-screen interface that lets users quickly convert currencies by swiping the screen. It was designed by Singapore's Clean Shaven [development team](). Available on iPhone and Apple Watch, Elk quickly converts more than 150 currencies worldwide and automatically switches to the local time zone and currency based on the user's location. Unlike typical currency conversion apps, Elk has a minimalist, elegant interface. Its split-screen display lets users convert currencies with a swipe, eliminating unnecessary taps. **6. Lake **Utility / Colouring Book Lake is a fun, charming colouring book app. The fun and charming colouring book app Lake is suitable for all ages. It offers a variety of brush effects and simple controls that give users a sense of achievement as they colour. Its interface is clean and fresh, with a soothing appeal. Developed by Slovenia's Lake d.o.o, it is available for iPhone and iPad. **7. Kitchen Stories **Utility / Cooking Kitchen Stories produces entirely original, highly innovative audiovisual content. The cooking app Kitchen Stories was developed by AJNS New Media, a startup in Berlin, Germany. It provides easy-to-use recipe information alongside audiovisual cooking tutorials. Its most distinctive feature is that all its audiovisual content is original and highly innovative. It also delivers a consistent experience across iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and Apple TV. **8. Blackbox** In the puzzle game Blackbox, players must find creative ways to interact with the game to complete its challenges. This iPhone-exclusive puzzle game requires players to find creative ways to interact with it to complete its challenges, earning Apple's recognition for its game design. On the [App Store](), it has also received five-star ratings from nearly 80,000 Apple gaming fans. **9. Mushroom11** Mushroom 11 offers a wide variety of gameplay experiences, including a dedicated mode for left-handed players. Combining physics, strategy, puzzles and action, this game captivates players with its distinctive hand-drawn visual style. It also incorporates a variety of touch gestures into its gameplay and offers a dedicated mode for left-handed players. **10. Old Man’s Journey** Old Man’s Journey encourages reflection on life as you play. Designed for iPhone and iPad players, this puzzle adventure explores life, hope and loss. Old Man’s Journey caught Apple's attention because it encourages thought-provoking reflection as players explore its fantastical settings. **11. SplitterCritters** SplitterCritters integrates the physical properties of paper into its gameplay. Available on iPhone and iPad, SplitterCritters is an arcade-style puzzle game with levels to complete. Its level design combines touch controls, ambient sound and a rich variety of paper forms. In particular, it makes full use of paper's physical properties, integrating actions such as tearing, folding and cutting paper into the gameplay. **12. Severed** Game design award winner Severed is a distinctively innovative adventure game. This challenging, refreshing adventure game has players control sword swings by swiping the screen as though slicing fruit. Its distinctive innovation earned high praise from Apple. http://3c.ltn.com.tw/news/30525?page=2 ## Frequently asked questions ### How many apps won the 2017 Apple Design Awards? The article lists 12 winners: seven utility apps and five games. ### What features does Things 3 offer? Things 3 combines calendars, to-do lists and scheduling. It also supports synchronised use across iPhone, iPad and Mac. ### What makes Elk's currency conversion interface distinctive? Elk uses a split-screen interface that lets users convert currencies by swiping, reducing unnecessary taps. It supports more than 150 currencies and automatically switches to the local time zone and currency based on the user's location. ### Which game offers a mode for left-handed players? Mushroom 11 offers a dedicated mode for left-handed players. It combines physics, strategy, puzzles and action with hand-drawn visuals and touch gestures.