# Cellular Automata: Life Sim — Conway Game & Generative Art > Conway's Game of Life simulation with generative art and photo import. (iPhone/iPad app by Socially Conscious Software, LLC.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cellular-automata-life-sim/id317822041 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Socially Conscious Software, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/302019503) - Category: Entertainment, Games, Casual, Music - Price: Free with in-app purchases (on sale, was $0.99) - Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 18.0 · 54 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2009-06-05 - Data updated: 2026-07-04 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cellular-automata-life-sim/id317822041/reviews.md ## What is Cellular Automata? Description: Watch simple rules create extraordinary complexity. Cellular Automata is the ultimate implementation of Conway's Game of Life. Built completely natively from the ground up, it transforms your device into a high-performance engine of infinite digital evolution and ambient audiovisual meditation. If you are a generative art enthusiast, a mathematics student, or just looking for a mesmerizing visualization to help you relax, we built this for you. EVOLVE YOUR WORLD Turn memories and text into living math. Import any photo from your camera roll, type a custom message, or load one of 21 included NASA space images (including Hubble captures). Watch as they transform into a living cellular grid, perfectly preserving the original pixel colors as the simulation evolves. AUDIO-REACTIVE GENERATIVE ART Turn math into a sensory experience. Cellular Automata features 10 built-in ambient and upbeat music tracks. Turn on audio-reactive colors and watch your grids and uploaded photos pulse, shimmer, and shift hues in real-time to the bass, mids, and beats of the music. Deep Customization of up to 6 stunning color presets with a full 0-100% hue shift slider. PHOTO UPLOAD WITH EDGE DETECTION Upload your photos into the Game of Life engine with the easy to use edge, brightness, dither or random selection to set initial patterns for the simulation and watch your photos come to life! SHARE YOUR UNIVERSE Created a mesmerizing loop or a stunning chaotic pattern? Instantly export high-resolution snapshots or generate animated GIFs of your simulation. The app seamlessly captures your last 3 seconds of history, including your audio-reactive colors, so you can share your discoveries directly with friends or on social media with a single tap. POWERED BY METAL GPU Experience uncompromised performance. Our custom-built Metal compute engine allows you to run massive 256x256 grids effortlessly with reactive audio coloring. Watch thousands of cells evolve at up to 30 generations per second without dropping a single frame, or switch to a crisp, 1-pixel-per-cell retro mode. TOTAL CONTROL & CUSTOM STAMPS Paint your universe with adjustable brush sizes from 1x1 up to 10x10. Made a mistake? The engine records your last 1,000 generations, allowing you to instantly scrub backward and forward through time. If you create or find a shape you love, extract it as a Custom Stamp to drop into any future simulation. CURATED PATTERN LIBRARY Instantly load 19 iconic, historically significant patterns. Discover classic Still Lifes, Oscillators, and Spaceships. Spawn the Gosper Glider Gun, test the Simkin Glider Gun, or watch the legendary "Acorn" Methuselah evolve for over 5,200 generations. CELLULAR AUTOMATA PRO In-App Purchase Unlock everything with Cellular Automata Pro: Massive Scale: Unlock the massive 256x256 grid size for simulations and photo imports. Audio-Reactive Engine: Unlock all 10 music tracks and the real-time audio-reactive color modulation. Full Time Travel: Unlock the full 1000-step rewind history buffer. Advanced Tools: Unlock large paint brush sizes (5x5 to 10x10) and unlimited grid saves. Custom Stamps: Extract any pattern from the grid and save it as a reusable stamp. Premium Aesthetics: Unlock the beautiful Ocean and Pastel color themes. One-time purchase. No subscription. Built with 100% native Apple frameworks, Cellular Automata respects your device's battery and your privacy, with zero third-party ad tracking. Download Cellular Automata and hold infinity in the palm of your hand! ## Key features - Conway's Game of Life simulation - Photo and text to cellular grid conversion - Audio-reactive generative art - High-performance Metal GPU engine - Customizable brush sizes and stamps - Export snapshots and animated GIFs - Curated pattern library ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | Cellular Automata Pro | $1.99 | one-time | ## Frequently asked questions about Cellular Automata ### What is Cellular Automata: Life Sim? Cellular Automata: Life Sim is a native implementation of Conway's Game of Life. It allows users to create and observe complex patterns from simple rules, transform images and text into evolving grids, and experience audio-reactive generative art. ### Can I import my own photos into Cellular Automata: Life Sim? Yes, you can import any photo from your camera roll. The app offers edge detection and other selection tools to set initial patterns for the simulation, bringing your photos to life as evolving cellular grids. ### Does Cellular Automata: Life Sim have ads? No, Cellular Automata: Life Sim does not contain advertisements. The app is free to download and use, with optional in-app purchases to unlock premium features. ### What are the benefits of Cellular Automata Pro? Cellular Automata Pro unlocks the massive 256x256 grid size for larger simulations and photo imports. It also enables the audio-reactive engine, including all 10 music tracks and real-time color modulation. ### How often is Cellular Automata: Life Sim updated? The app was last updated on March 21, 2026, indicating a recent update. While specific update frequency isn't detailed, the developer has a history of maintaining the application since its release in 2009. ### Is Cellular Automata: Life Sim suitable for children? Cellular Automata: Life Sim has an age rating of 4+. Its focus on mathematical patterns and visual complexity makes it suitable for a wide range of ages interested in exploration and learning. ### Can I share my creations from Cellular Automata: Life Sim? Yes, you can instantly export high-resolution snapshots or generate animated GIFs of your simulations. The app captures the last 3 seconds of history, including audio-reactive colors, for easy sharing on social media. ### What devices support Cellular Automata: Life Sim? Cellular Automata: Life Sim is supported on both iPhone and iPad devices, leveraging their capabilities for a smooth and immersive simulation experience. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 3.1.4 — 2026-03-21 We have completely transformed Cellular Automata from a simulation engine into a powerful, audiovisual generative art studio. What's New in This Update: Photo & Text Modes: You can now import photos from your camera roll or type custom text to see them instantly converted into living cellular grids. Space Image Gallery: We have bundled 21 breathtaking NASA space images. Load them up and watch the cosmos evolve according to Conway's rules. Animated GIF Export: Seamlessly share your universes! The app now records your last 3 seconds of history. Tap the share button to generate a high-quality, easily shared, animated GIF of your simulation, complete with your custom colors. Adjustable Paint Brushes allow you to adjust your brush size from 1x1 up to a massive 10x10, complete with a precise ghost-preview overlay. Custom Stamps (Pro): Found a pattern you love? Extract it directly from the grid and save it to your new "My Stamps" library to drop into any future simulation. Unified Menu Design: We have streamlined the interface with a gorgeous new tabbed menu layout for Settings, Patterns, Stamps, and your Saved Creations. ### 2.6.1 — 2009-10-19 improved performance and optimized experience and performance on iPhone OS 3.1 update ### 2.0.1 — 2009-08-19 Auto run features with start and stop implemented, graphical updates to overall look and feel, general miscellaneous bug fixes and improvements. ### 1.3.0 — 2009-08-04 Upgrade for 3.0 ### 0.1 — 2009-06-05 No release notes. ## More apps by Socially Conscious Software, LLC - [Baby Boy Names](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/baby-boy-names/id330105134) - [Baby Names LITE](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/baby-names-lite/id337403469) - [Baby Boy Names LITE](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/baby-boy-names-lite/id337407164) - [Baby Girl Names LITE](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/baby-girl-names-lite/id337407498) - [Simple LED Light](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-led-light/id391205904) All apps by Socially Conscious Software, LLC: https://appshunter.io/developer/302019503 ## Related topics [cellular automata](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/cellular-automata) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-07-04.*