2021 Apple Design Award Winners Include CARROT Weather, Genshin Impact, Bird Alone, Little Orpheus and More

Thursday June 10, 2021 2:19 pm PDT by Juli Clover

Apple today announced the apps and games that are receiving a 2021 Apple Design Award for outstanding app design, innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement, with winners including CARROT Weather, Genshin Impact, Alba, Bird Alone, League of Legends: Wild Rift, Little Orpheus, and more.

apple design awards
Winners were selected in categories that include Inclusivity, Delight and Fun, Interaction, Social Impact, Visuals and Graphics, and Innovation, with a full list of winning apps available below.

Inclusivity
- Voice Dream Reader (App)
- HoloVista (Game)

Delight & Fun
- Little Orpheus (Game)
- Pok Pok Playroom (App)

Interaction
- CARROT Weather (App)
- Bird Alone (Game)

Social Impact
- Be My Eyes (App)
- Alba: A Wildlife Adventure (Game)

Visuals and Graphics
- Loóna (App)
- Genshin Impact (Game)

Innovation
- NaadSadhana (App)
- League of Legends: Wild Rift (Game)

During each Worldwide Developers Conference event, Apple chooses developers to receive the App Design Award, and more than 250 developers have been recognized over the last 20 years. This year's winners are receiving a physical award and hardware to continue creating apps and games.

Tags: App Store, Apple Design Awards

Popular Stories

Apple Announces This Year's App Design Award Winners Ahead of WWDC 2026

Tuesday June 2, 2026 10:18 am PDT by Juli Clover

WWDC is set to start on Monday, June 8, and ahead of the keynote event, Apple has announced the winners of its annual Apple Design Awards. The Apple Design Awards recognize apps and games for their innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement. Apple chose one app and one game for each of the six award categories. Delight and Fun - Grug (App) and Is This Seat Taken? (Game) Innovati...

• 17 comments

Apple Bringing App Store Age Verification to Texas as SB 2420 Takes Effect June 4

Wednesday June 3, 2026 12:52 pm PDT by Juli Clover

Apple today said App Store rules in Texas are changing due to the enforcement of SB 2420, a law that adds age assurance requirements for app marketplaces and developers. Apple users located in Texas will soon be required to confirm whether they are 18 years or older when creating an Apple Account. Apple Accounts for users under 18 must be part of a Family Sharing group, and parents need to...

• 44 comments

Apple Highlights App Store Study: $1.4 Trillion in Sales Last Year, More Than 90% Commission-Free

Thursday June 4, 2026 7:58 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple today highlighted a new study by economists at Analysis Group that outlines four key App Store stats for 2025. Ahead of WWDC 2026 next week, Apple's core message with this press release is that the App Store is reaching new heights and that "developers continue to thrive globally." App Store ecosystem facilitated a record $1.4 trillion in total billings and sales Apple received no...

• 63 comments

Top Rated Comments

4jasontv

66 months ago

$27 a year for a weather app subscription?? Are all those reviews for carrot cake or something? Whats the “feature” worth this subscription?

Agree that it's overpriced, but it has a unique position.

1. Claims to the minute accuracy of rain and snow starting and stopping.
2. Speaks to you like you are human garbage.
3. Pretty.

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

BigMcGuire

66 months ago

Congrats Carrot Weather! One of my most used applications - and has the middle complication on my watch for years! Absolutely love the control of the data this application provides.

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

HALE101

66 months ago

Good job meatbag! I mean carrot!

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Smigit

66 months ago

$27 a year for a weather app subscription?? Are all those reviews for carrot cake or something? Whats the “feature” worth this subscription?

A good chunk of the cost would be going towards the weather data, which isn’t free at scale. Most of the sources integrated with maybe offer 500 or 1000 calls a day per API key, but as the developer is using their key across the user base they need to pay for their user base to access the weather data.

Beyond that you pay for updates and the like to the app itself, and new features.

Whether that’s worth paying for is up to you. Many people are happy with the Apple weather app or one of the sources that’ll provide the data free via a search. Subscriptions for weather apps isn’t a new thing but, many have it, and it gets you a UI you might like more, additional data or features such as integrating your own weather station (or pulling data from other people’s in the area).

Personally I agree it’s a decent amount to spend, but it’s not unreasonable for those that make heavy use of the app. Having a choice of 7 providers will likely mean better weather data for many people compared to what Weather Channel provides Apple, too.

Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Okasian

66 months ago

Carrot huh? Just installed.

A weather app with a personality? that could evoke an emotional response.

In a sea of blandness, this is an interesting (and maybe compelling) find.

Will evaluate. Thanks for the heads-up.