https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/17/this-week-in-apps-apples-iphone-app-of-the-year-finalists-plus-7-hidden-gems/

Is the App Store still a source for new technology innovations or has AI development become the hotter new tech to build for these days? We pondered this question this week when Apple unveiled its iPhone App of the Year finalists, which surprisingly included a trio of longtime favorites — hiking app AllTrails, language learning app Duolingo, and travel app Flighty. Instead of highlighting new releases that caught fire in the year, as it did last year with winner BeReal or in 2021 with Toca Life World, for example, Apple has selected several high-quality apps that have been around for some time and have built a following.

But Apple’s selection, which ignores the AI app boom for some reason, may lead you to believe there aren’t many new and interesting gems to be found on today’s App Store — a place where apps like TikTok, Temu, and those from Meta and Google often dominate the top charts.