iPhone App of the Year 2026: Apple Favors Traditional Apps Over AI

On Monday, the iPhone App of the Year 2024 award ceremony was held. Apple's selection highlights a clear trend of prioritizing traditional task-oriented applications over AI-driven ones.  As you know, AI's influence is growing daily in various sectors. Still, Apple’s finalists emphasize apps that assist iPhone users with specific tasks such as creating professional video content, organizing travel plans, or customizing workout routines. Applications like Kino, Runna, and Trispy were nominated for their capability to help users achieve practical goals. AI-powered apps such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and image/video creation tools are not included in the list.  This continues Apple’s approach from last year, favoring traditional apps over new ones. The popularity of AI, particularly ChatGPT, is growing rapidly worldwide, and it formed a partnership with Apple to improve Siri. The absence of this AI application is strange for all users.  We know that ChatGPT introduced impressive features in 2024, including an advanced voice mode and a web search feature that competes with Google, but it failed to secure recognition.  Despite these factors, ChatGPT became the fastest-growing consumer app in history, reaching 100 million users shortly after its launch in 2023.  Similarly, last year, despite its widespread usage, both Apple and Google didn’t name ChatGPT the app of the year. In fact, Google named Partiful the app of the year, which is basically a party-planning app.  AI apps were mentioned in a few other 2024 finalists, but only a few. Moises, a music practice app with AI tools, was nominated for iPad App of the Year with Bluey, Let’s Play, and Procreate Dreams.  Adobe Lightroom, which contains AI features, was nominated for Mac App of the Year, along with apps like OmniFocus 4 and Shapr 3D. However, AI apps were only a small part of the overall nominations in these categories.