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WWDC: The Ultimate Guide to Apple’s Premier Developer Conference

Apple's biggest event of the year

WWDC: The Ultimate Guide to Apple’s Premier Developer Conference
David Bernal Raspall

David Bernal Raspall

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Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is one of the most important events of the year for software developers in the Apple ecosystem and users of the company’s products around the world. During this conference, Apple unveils new versions of its operating systems, development tools and other key technologies for the platform. Let’s review everything there is to know about WWDC.

What is WWDC?

WWDC is an annual conference organized by Apple, which has been held since 1983. During WWDC, software developers can attend technical sessions and workshops on the company’s latest technologies. In addition, the latest versions of Apple’s operating systems are presented, as well as new tools and services for developers and users.

The conference kicks off with an opening keynote, followed by the more technical State of the Union keynote. Then, for the rest of the week, there are lectures, Q&A sessions, the chance to get questions answered with Apple engineers and also, of course, opportunities to network with other like-minded people.

When is it celebrated?

WWDC is usually held in early June each year. It is most commonly held during the first week of the month, spanning Monday through Friday, inclusive.

Where is it held?

It is during that first week of June that developers gather in San Jose, California, near Apple Park, to enjoy the entire event. Until 2020, developer conferences have been in-person. Given the limited capacity of about 10,000 people, Apple relied on a lottery system to decide who could attend.

Apple Developer DOWNLOAD

WWDC 2020, 21, 22 and 23 have had a virtual format. Although it has eliminated the feeling of congregation and the possibility of developing friendships and contacts with other professionals, this format is one that has allowed all developers around the world to enjoy the event, without capacity restrictions.

In 2022, Apple organized a special keynote day at Apple Park for the first day of WWDC. A move it has repeated in 2023 to welcome a small group of attendees who will watch the video screening directly in Apple Park and alongside company executives.

What will be presented at WWDC?

WWDC is Apple’s main event to present the latest software releases. Typically, the company presents new versions of its operating systems for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. It also usually presents new development tools, such as the Swift programming language, and other key technologies for the Apple platform, such as ARKit for augmented reality or new versions of Xcode.

In addition to software news, WWDC is also a place where hardware news can be presented sporadically. In previous years, Apple has introduced new products during WWDC, such as a Mac, for example.

How to watch WWDC online?

While WWDC was originally exclusively for developers, for years now both the opening keynote and the state of the union conference have been broadcast. Now that WWDC is virtual, conferences and workshops are also broadcast, but, for the general public, it is the opening keynote where to go to find out all the news.

The WWDC live stream can be viewed on Apple’s website. The company also streams the event on the Apple Developer app, Apple TV app and YouTube. So, we have several ways to follow the conference live.

It is important to note that, although the WWDC live stream is free, some technical sessions and workshops are exclusive to registered developers. This avoids that high participation may diminish the quality of the experience for the targeted participants.

What do we expect from WWDC 2023?

In this edition of WWDC, while we try to find out what is hidden behind the invitation to WWDC 2023, Apple will present the new versions of its operating systems: iOS 17 -of which we already have some concepts-, iPadOS 17, tvOS 17, watchOS 10 and macOS 14. All the systems will bring new features and improvements in the user experience although, since the operating systems are developed at a very internal level within Apple, we do not know what they will be.

On this occasion, it also seems that we will see hardware at this WWDC 2023. This is something that we cannot say with the same certainty as when talking about the operating systems we have just mentioned, but that rumors suggest quite strongly. Among the candidates we find a new Mac Pro, perhaps a new 15-inch MacBook Air and above all the extended reality glasses that Tim Cook wants to launch this year.

Apple Developer DOWNLOAD

As we started saying, WWDC is one of the most important events of the year for both developers and users. An event that, every June, presents us with all the new features that we will be able to enjoy in September. An event that, by its nature, is always full of the best surprises.

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David Bernal Raspall

David Bernal Raspall

Architect | Founder of hanaringo.com | Apple Technologies Trainer | Writer at Softonic and iDoo_tech, formerly at Applesfera

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