iOS Today 782: App Store Awards: Apps

Hosts: Micah Sargent, Rosemary Orchard
Date: December 16, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of iOS Today dives deep into Apple's 2025 App Store Awards, spotlighting the apps recognized across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Vision Pro, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and special cultural impact categories. Hosts Micah and Rosemary enthusiastically review the standout winners, explain their unique features, and reflect on how app trends this year have shifted toward accessibility, creativity, and user empowerment. The show also touches on a company shakeup at Apple, the expansion of Apple Fitness+, and provides robust recommendations in the Shortcuts Corner segment.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Understanding the App Store Awards

• The App Store Awards highlight innovative, standout apps chosen by editors from 45 finalists, with an emphasis this year on independent developers and creativity over corporate dominance.
• Quote:

  "I'm really pleased with this year's. There aren't many sort of gigantic corporations being mentioned as much. And I kind of like that..."
  — Micah Sargent [02:34]

Apple CEO Tim Cook’s Statement

• Developers are praised for “turning their best ideas into innovative experiences that enrich people’s lives.”
  — Read by Micah [02:56]

2. Category-by-Category App Review

a) iPhone App of the Year: Timo (or ‘Taimo’) — AI Planner

• Purpose: Hybrid calendar and to-do app, designed with neurodivergence in mind.

• Key Features:

  • 30-day free trial, then $54/year or $12/month
  • Task breakdown powered by AI—especially valuable for stepwise planning.
  • Non-judgmental, visually engaging design; focus mode pulls in calendar events.

• Discussion: Rosemary appreciates the detailed task breakdown—ideal for neurodivergent users and anyone needing to split complex chores.

  • Micah notes the smooth transition from idea-dumping to clear daily plans, reducing anxiety.

• Quotes:

  "It does both [calendar and task management] and it does them in kind of a non judgmental, almost soothing, if I might say way..."
  — Micah [03:40]

  "Being able to break down and having AI suggest the steps for that is really good because it's easier said than done at times to break things down."
  — Rosemary [05:26]

b) iPad App of the Year: Detail — Video Editor

• Purpose: Easy-to-use video editing app for vlogs, shorts, reels, podcasts.

• Key Features:

  • Auto-editing for non-experts: zoom cuts, captions, music, titles.
  • Supports teleprompter, talking-head format, multi-person setups.
  • Price: $70/year or $12/month.

• Memorable Moment: Micah does a live demo, auto-edits a video, and describes practical use for both everyday creators and families digitizing old home videos.

• Quotes:

  "If you're not a big video editor, if you don't really know everything that's involved with video editing, this kind of helps..."
  — Micah [09:22]

  "It's cheaper than paying somebody else to go through hundreds of hours of footage to try and find you good bits. And he's actually had some really good results with it."
  — Rosemary, referencing a friend’s success with Detail [13:59]

c) Mac App of the Year: Essayist

• Purpose: Essay writing app supporting academic standards and citations.

• Key Features:

  • Automatic bibliography, citation/footnote management, equation support.
  • Integrates with Google Scholar.
  • Free with in-app purchases.

• Quotes:

  "This is a really cool app for being able to keep track of what you're writing, what references you're making, and kind of make sure that you've got it all in there."
  — Micah [15:37]

  “But Zotero… it was clunky because this was early 2010s.”
  — Rosemary, reminiscing on earlier solutions [16:43]

d) Apple Vision Pro App of the Year: Explore POV

• Purpose: Immersive 180° 3D videos from global locations, shot on cutting-edge cameras.
• Expands Vision Pro’s content ecosystem beyond Apple-made experiences.
• “Always cool to see content apps popping up on the Apple Vision Pro that are not just Apple's own…”
  — Micah [17:24]

e) Apple Watch App of the Year: Strava

• Purpose: Tracks running, cycling, walking, yoga, and other activities.
• Key Features:
  • Cross-platform (iOS and Android).
  • Social features and challenges fuel motivation.
• Rosemary’s Insight: She crowdsourced review from athletic friends; Strava is community-driven, integrates with work fitness challenges.
• Quote:

  “It’s just really great for tracking sport movement. And also that sort of the bonus effect you get… having other people go, woohoo. You did the thing because you can see each other's information...”
  — Rosemary [20:03]

f) Apple TV App of the Year: HBO Max

• Purpose: Streamlined streaming experience, recently redesigned for smoother navigation.
• Micah’s Memo:
  • Redesign fixed scrolling delays that caused motion sickness!
• Quote:

  "I'm happy with the most recent redesign because before that, scrolling through the content would actually make me physically ill..."
  — Micah [22:27]

3. Cultural Impact Winners

Apple also recognized apps driving positive change.

• Be My Eyes: Connects visually impaired users with volunteers for visual assistance via video calls.
• Focus Friend: Gamifies focus with a virtual “bean friend.”
• StoryGraph: Book tracking and recommendation platform with an emphasis on inclusivity, positioned as a friendly alternative to Goodreads.
• Quote, on Be My Eyes:

  “People who need the help are able to call and people who want to volunteer are able to do so too…”
  — Micah [24:07]

4. Industry News

Apple Leadership Shakeup

• Major changes include retirements of Kate Adams and Lisa Jackson; Jennifer Newstead stepping in as Senior VP.
• “Apple playing the kids party game... some people go in, some people go out.”
  — Rosemary [26:33]

Apple Fitness+ Expansion

• Service expanding to 28 new markets (e.g., Chile, Japan, Singapore).

• Adding new languages (Spanish, German, Japanese) and genres (K-Pop workouts).

• Time to Walk audio experiences expanding celebrity roster.

• Quotes:

  "It is expanding to Chile, Hong Kong, India, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, Taiwan, Seoul, much more."
  — Micah [28:37]

  “I didn’t think I was a fan of K Pop and then I watched K Pop Demon Hunters and fell down a rabbit hole and whoops…”
  — Rosemary [29:45]

5. Shortcuts Corner: Listener Question

Michael asks: How to get notified if a HomeKit switch (for hair curlers) is on for over an hour?

• Rosemary explains:
  • HomeKit itself lacks general notifications (except for security features).
  • Native Solution:
    • Set automation to turn off the switch after an hour (“If you haven’t done it inside of that hour, you probably should… just turn it off anyway.” [35:26])
  • Advanced Solutions:
    • Use Home Assistant or Homebridge for more granular control and notification logic.
    • Pushcut (disclosure: Rosemary is part of Whale Development) or similar to schedule notifications via shortcut automations and webhooks.
  • Conclusion: For safety, auto-off is simplest; notifications are possible but require extra apps/services.
• Micah's Quip:

  “We definitely don't want them falling asleep, especially if their hair curlers are running. Stay awake.”
  — [39:25]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “There aren't many sort of gigantic corporations being mentioned as much. And I kind of like that because it puts the focus on a lot of these really cool apps…”
  — Micah, [02:36]
• “I was able to actually break it down using AI, which I thought was a really nice idea because there are some things where... I would like to be able to check off empty dishwasher, load dishwasher, run dishwasher as tasks because they are all individual steps..."
  — Rosemary, [04:49]
• “It’s one of those things. We can't change it. We are just customers of the company. As much as we might feel like they are our friends, they are a large corporation, they have to do what's right for them.”
  — Rosemary, regarding Apple leadership [27:03]
• “I like you being a listener of iOS today, but there are some other solutions out there...”
  — Rosemary on home automation safety [38:06]
• “Little Apple baby is hilarious. So there you go.”
  — Micah, after Rosemary’s metaphor [28:08]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |--------------|------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–02:13 | Introduction, App Store Awards background | | 03:00–07:30 | iPhone App Winner: Timo/Taimo | | 07:31–13:51 | iPad App Winner: Detail | | 14:34–17:00 | Mac App Winner: Essayist | | 17:01–19:12 | Vision Pro Winner: Explore POV | | 19:12–21:39 | Apple Watch App Winner: Strava | | 21:40–23:53 | Apple TV App Winner: HBO Max | | 23:54–26:25 | Cultural Impact App Winners | | 26:26–28:07 | Apple Leadership News | | 28:08–30:34 | Apple Fitness+ Expansion | | 33:57–39:31 | Shortcuts Corner: HomeKit Notifications |

Overall Tone and Style

The conversation is enthusiastic, friendly, and sprinkled with gentle humor, making technical discussions warm and accessible. Both hosts excel at sharing practical, real-world use cases and opinions, keeping the show relatable while remaining authoritative on all things iOS and Apple.

For listeners: This episode gives a comprehensive tour of Apple’s most celebrated apps of 2025, provides practical automation advice, and updates you on notable industry shifts—essential listening for iOS enthusiasts!