Elevate tops the list of Apple’s best apps of 2014
Apple has announced its favourite smartphone apps and games of the year, with a few surprises.
Taking out top honours on the list, which the tech giant releases annually, was Elevate, a brain-training app, and Threes!, a puzzle game.
Instagram’s Hyperlapse, an app for creating time lapse videos, took second place in the best apps category, while platform adventure game Leo’s Fortune came runner-up for ‘Game of the Year’.
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Many of the standout apps were very simple and practical, such as a password manager and an intuitive smart keyboard.
Health and fitness featured heavily, with a fitness app, a grocery and shopping app, and three pedometer and calorie trackers making the list.
Two news websites also made the cut – The Guardian and BuzzFeed.
Dumb Ways to Die 2, a game published by Melbourne’s public transport operator Metro Trains, was a surprise inclusion.
Top Apps
Elevate — brain training app full of “captivating mini-games”.
Hyperlapse — time lapse videos for Instagram.
Storehouse — tell stories with photos and videos.
The Guardian — traditional news website.
SwiftKey — smart keyboard that learns from you.
1Password — password manager and secure wallet.
Camera+ — photography app.
Toca Lab — learn all 118 elements of the periodic table.
Little Moments — photo editor and photo-a-day companion.
Autodesk Sketchbook — professional-grade painting and drawing app.
Zova — workouts for women.
GoodReader — PDF creator and manager.
Loopy HD — create music loops.
BuzzFeed — quirky news website.
Peak — brain training app.
Yummly — recipes and grocery shopping list.
Waterlogue — converts photos to watercolour images.
Human — activity and calorie tracker.
Stellar — tell stories with photos, videos and text.
TeleStory — write, direct and star in your own TV show.
Quip — documents, chat, spreadsheets.
Litely — photo editing app.
Breeze — pedometer, walk tracker, activity log and movement coach.
Star Walk 2 — stargazing tool for budding astronomers.
Cinamatic — create beautiful short films.
Health Mate — step tracker and life coach.
Afterlight — image editing tool.