ZOOM was the most downloaded free app for the iPhone in 2020. That’s hardly a surprise given a pandemic that not only forced many people to participate in videoconferences from home for work, but also to use Zoom Cloud Meetings to socialize with family and friends.
Covid may have also persuaded folks to try “Wakeout!” (photo below), chosen by Apple's App Store editorial team as the best iPhone app of 2020. The app, from Andres Canella, encourages people to turn their downtime into brief periods of physical activity, to energize them and reduce stress. And who hasn’t been stressed in 2020?
Of course, many people deal with stress by distracting themselves in front of the television. Figure these viewers were among those watching the Disney + streaming service, chosen as the best Apple TV app of the year.
Apple also chose Niantic’s Pokémon Go (see photo) to represent one of 2020's app trends. That's because of the way Niantic reinventing the way the game is played for indoor participants, since players couldn’t be out and about quite like the summer of 2016, when the augmented reality mobile sensation went viral.
In evaluating and debating its various “Best Of” candidates, the team considered the popularity of an app but didn’t base choices strictly on the number of downloads. Other factors included how helpful or productive an app was deemed to be, or just how much fun it is.
Here’s the complete list of Apple’s winners for 2020, along with top download charts for various categories of iPhone apps.
Best of 2020 Winners:
iPhone App of the Year: Wakeout! (Andres Canella, USA)
iPhone Game of the Year: Genshin Impact (miHoYo, China)
iPad App of the Year: Zoom (Zoom, USA)
iPad Game of the Year: Legends of Runeterra (Riot Games, USA)
Mac App of the Year: Fantastical (Flexibits, USA)
Mac Game of the Year: Disco Elysium (ZA/UM (UK/Estonia)
Apple TV App of the Year: Disney+ (Disney, USA)
Apple TV Game of the Year: Dandara Trials of Fear (Raw Fury, Sweden)
Apple Watch App of the Year: Endel (Endel, Germany)
Apple Arcade Game of the Year: Sneaky Sasquatch (RAC7, Canada)
App Trend of the Year: Shine for helping users practice self care (Shine, USA)
App Trend of the Year: Explain Everything Whiteboard for helping bring remote classrooms to life (Explain Everything, Poland)
App Trend of the Year: Caribu for connecting families to loved ones (Caribu, USA)
App Trend of the Year: Pokémon GO for reinventing the way we play (Niantic, USA)
App Trend of the Year: ShareTheMeal for helping users make a difference (United Nations, Germany)
Most Downloaded Charts:
Top Free iPhone Apps
1. ZOOM Cloud Meetings
2. TikTok
3. Disney+
4. YouTube
5. Instagram
6. Facebook
7. Snapchat
8. Messenger
9. Gmail
10. Cash App
Top Paid iPhone Apps
1. TouchRetouch
2. Procreate Pocket
3. Dark Sky Weather
4. Facetune
5. HotSchedules
6. AutoSleep Track Sleep
7. The Wonder Weeks
8. SkyView
9. Shadowrocket
10. Sky Guide
Top Free iPhone Games
1. Among Us!
2. Call of Duty: Mobile
3. Roblox
4. Subway Surfers
5. Ink Inc. - Tattoo Drawing
6. Magic Tiles 3: Piano Game
7. Brain Test: Tricky Puzzles
8. Brain Out
9. Coin Master
10. Cube Surfer!
Top Paid iPhone Games
1. Minecraft
2. Plague Inc.
3. Heads Up!
4. Monopoly
5. Bloons TD6
6. Geometry Dash
7. NBA 2K20
8. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
9. The Game of Life
10. True Skate
What are your favorite apps of the year? Email: edbaig@gmail.com or @edbaig on Twitter