27-year-old software engineer Devin Davies has made history by becoming the first New Zealander to win a prestigious Apple Design Award.
Davies, who is a senior software engineer at Christchurch-based app development company Smudge, was one of just 14 app developers from around the globe to receive the award at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) this week in Cupertino, California.
Davies’ win recognised his work across iOS, iPad OS, macOS, and VisionOS in creating the augmented reality cooking app Crouton. The app has received global acclaim, including coverage in the Wall Street Journal and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Originally created in 2019 in Devin’s spare time, Crouton is a popular meal planner app that allows users to scan, save, and store recipes. In the latest version, users of the Apple Vision Pro can bring recipes to life with augmented reality.
“Crouton is a safe place for your recipes from wherever you find them, websites, cookbooks, your grandma’s scribbled note. It makes it super easy to meal plan, so your shopping and cooking are made simple,” said Davies
Crouton is one of the first cooking apps on Apple’s Vision Pro and has been described as “a new way to cook”. It’s rated 4.8 stars out of 5 from 602 user ratings.
“I started Crouton for myself and my family”, says Davies. “I genuinely had no idea it would take off like this. The last few months have been a whirlwind.”
“It’s still a bit hard to believe it’s real. Winning this award is top of the bucket list for me, it’s not something I ever thought would happen.”
Crouton has received more than 160,000 downloads since launching and was featured as a US Apple Store’s App of the Day in 2023.
Crouton for Vision Pro has several features designed to let users interact with the app by seamlessly blending digital recipes, meal plans, and timers with their physical kitchen space.
The app has grabbed attention as a great showcase for how Apple Vision Pro can be practically used in consumers’ daily lives.
Apple WWDC 2024
Apple WWDC 2024 is one of the most anticipated events in the tech industry calendar. The conference brings together developers from around the world to share insights, discover new technologies, and celebrate innovation. The awards celebrate apps that demonstrate excellence in design, innovation, and technology.
“Apple WWDC is one of the most important events of the app development world,” Smudge Managing Director Reuben Bijl says.
“It’s an incredibly prestigious award, and we’re absolutely thrilled that Devin has been recognised among the world’s best as the very first New Zealander to win one of these awards.”
Apple Intelligence was the star of WWDC 2024. It’s a new personal intelligence system that aims to be helpful and relevant to your needs. It combines powerful AI with your personal context to offer features across various Apple devices.
Updates were announced for all major Apple operating systems: iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, watchOS 11, and tvOS 18. Specific details are still emerging, but expect a focus on customisation, accessibility, and features powered by Apple Intelligence.
Mixed-reality headset Vision Pro was another key Worldwide Developers Conference feature. Apple announced that Vision Pro would be rolling out to China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Canada, France, Germany, and the UK over the next month, as well as Australia, launching at AU$5999. Kiwis will have a wait a while longer.
Apple claims the Vision Pro is “the most advanced personal electronics device ever.” Powered by an external battery pack worn on the body and controlled by tracking the user’s hands, eyes, and voice, the headset will integrate key Apple apps like Notes, Facetime, and Safari into the visual field.
Disney CEO Bob Iger also said at WWDC alongside Tim Cook that Disney+ will be available in the headset at launch. The headset will also support 100 games from the Apple Arcade at launch and can be paired with a PlayStation5 or Xbox controller.