Moleskine’s digital notebook and a visual inventory of Earth win Apple's Apps of the Year

Apple has announced the winners of its annual Apps and Games of the Year list, which is based both on popularity and their "power to influence culture," says the company. The best iPad App of the Year went to Flow by Moleskine, the notebook brand's digital offering which allows users to sketch using various options for paper type, drawing implement and colour, as well as write notes.

The iPhone App of the Year also went to a creative tool, Spectre Camera by Lux Optics, which uses AI to enable anyone to create long-exposure photographs. It takes hundreds of shots over the span of a few seconds and saves it as a live photo, so you can download as a video or still.

The Apple TV App of the Year is The Explorers, an app that is aiming to create a visual inventory of the natural world, no less. Photographers, videographers, scientists, associations and artists are invited to contribute photos and videos to document Earth as it is now.

In the games list, Sky: Children of the Light by thatgamecompany – which also made the acclaimed Journey and Flower won iPhone Game of the Year for its dreamy scenery. Meanwhile the iPad Game of the Year was given to 16-bit adventure game Hyper Light Drifter by Abylight S.L. – which its creator told The Guardianis inspired by his lifelong health issues.

On Mac, the Game of the Year is Gris by Devolver / Nomada Studio, a puzzle-platformer that Apple calls "a soul-stirring work of digital art — one that explores hope, grief and the triumph of piecing a life back together after tragic loss".

"Developers around the world inspire us all with innovative apps that have the power to influence culture and change our lives, and this year that is as true as ever," comments Apple's Phil Schiller. The winning apps reflect the company's "global desire for connection, creativity and fun" he continues, and show that showing that "great design and creativity comes from developers large and small, and from every corner of the world".

View the full list here.