Apple is holding an event in New York City on December 2 to highlight the standout apps and games of 2019, the company said in a media invite sent out on Monday. It's a somewhat unusual move for Apple, which typically issues a press release to announce its top apps of the year and holds events in the fall to introduce new hardware products.
The invitation does not divulge many details about the event other than saying it will honor Apple's "favorite apps and games of 2019." Based on that description, it sounds like the event could be similar to the Apple Design Awards, an awards ceremony held each June to highlight apps that represent best-in-class design.
But there's no indication that this December event will include a new iPad launch. It's possible that Apple is keeping this event focused on apps and games as part of its broader push into digital services. Apple launched its first ever subscription game service this year called Apple Arcade, which costs $5 per month and includes access to 100 games.
This year marked a lot of firsts for Apple when it comes to software and apps. Beyond Apple Arcade, it also launched its first entertainment service called Apple TV+ and a digital news subscription offering called Apple News+. With that in mind, it seems plausible that Apple could take this event as an opportunity to prove that it's just as committed to its software platforms as it is hardware by keeping the spotlight squarely on app developers.