Apple announces WWDC 2020 'online experience' taking place in June

AppleInsider · March 13, 2020 4:08PM

Apple's annual WWDC page has updated, and the company is promising a big program with a completely new online experience.

The entire WWDC 2020 page, as of March 13, 2020

The webpage went live at noon Eastern Time and is devoid of any real information about the event, including specifically when it starts beyond "June."

"This June, WWDC20 brings a completely new online experience to millions of talented and creative developers around the world. Join us for a fully packed program -- including Keynote and sessions -- to gain early access to the future of Apple platforms and engage with Apple engineers," the site reads. "Dive into an exciting learning experience and discover how to create your most innovative apps yet using the latest Apple technologies."

The site promises more information coming on the web, by email, and in the Apple Developer app.

"We are delivering WWDC 2020 this June in an innovative way to millions of developers around the world, bringing the entire developer community together with a new experience," said Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "The current health situation has required that we create a new WWDC 2020 format that delivers a full program with an online keynote and sessions, offering a great learning experience for our entire developer community, all around the world. We will be sharing all of the details in the weeks ahead."

"With all of the new products and technologies we've been working on, WWDC 2020 is going to be big," said Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering. "I look forward to our developers getting their hands on the new code and interacting in entirely new ways with the Apple engineers building the technologies and frameworks that will shape the future across all Apple platforms."

Apple says that there are more than 23 million registered developers in 155 countries and regions. Additionally, Apple also says that it will provide $1 million to local San Jose organizations to offset revenue loss from the shift to the online-only event.

The shift to the online event is very clearly because of the coronavirus pandemic. On March 9, the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department issued an edict banning mass gatherings for three weeks. While that doesn't encompass the typical June timeframe for the event, it isn't clear when the outbreak will subside.

Beats · March 13, 2020 4:22PM

I was thinking about this the other day....

If Apple is forced to make sessions go online it will have a mass positive residual effect. Apple can innovate WWDC this year online so future WWDCs can have live attendees on location PLUS online sessions for millions of veteran and curious developers. This will be a blessing in disguise.

This will be HUGE for Apple!

davfar · March 13, 2020 4:33PM

Talk about timing. With the current coronavirus concerns, “Online Experience” might be the hottest thing going in the next couple months.

mr lizard · March 13, 2020 4:34PM

Credit due to Apple: they’ve found a way to turn a negative situation into a positive one. Nowhere is the word ‘cancelled’ mentioned; instead they’ve taken the opportunity to rethink the WWDC format. Obviously we need to await the details to see exactly what it’ll look like, but it’s a safe bet that this won’t just be a series of videos posted on the web.

I expect we’ll see a return to the in-person event for future WWDCs, but hopefully they’ll take what they’re creating for 2020 and extend that to future conferences too so more people can take part remotely.

narwhal · March 13, 2020 4:38PM

If every session will be available live online, let's hope Apple starts doing this every year. Much better than the lottery they've been running. EDIT: Apple should buy, borrow or fork the existing unofficial WWDC app for videos. Why re-invent the wheel?

Wgkrueger · March 13, 2020 4:46PM

Hopefully they’ll be sending out AR glasses to view the event ... and buy into the Internet fast lane.

lkrupp · March 13, 2020 4:51PM

Well, I'm still hoping for an 'online experience' to announce new iMacs and Mac Minis.

apple1991 · March 13, 2020 5:03PM

I guess an online WWDC was going to be the only way I would be able to attend anyway I've had terrible luck with the lottery system

ericthehalfbee · March 13, 2020 5:12PM

Beats said:

I was thinking about this the other day....

If Apple is forced to make sessions go online it will have a mass positive residual effect. Apple can innovate WWDC this year online so future WWDCs can have live attendees on location PLUS online sessions for millions of veteran and curious developers. This will be a blessing in disguise.

This will be HUGE for Apple!

Millions already have access to the sessions. After WWDC Apple makes videos available of all the sessions through their WWDC (now Developer) App. The only difference is they could live stream the individual sessions, but the only difference that makes is you get to see them a few days earlier.

The real issue is the access that WWDC attendees have to the 1,000 or so engineers Apple brings along. You could chat with them one-on-one about your project/code. That's really the point of attending (and paying the $1,599 ticket price). They can't open that up to millions of people.

I think Apple will have to find some way to still sell "tickets" to the usual attendees, and restrict Apple engineers to only spend time with those people who paid for access (through some online method). So you get the same benefit as before when paying - access to Apple engineers.

Soli · March 13, 2020 5:26PM

This is completely expected and exactly what I thought Apple would do. This does suck for attendees for their experience, the networking, and being able to talk to Apple engineers in person, but the majority of this has always been online for developers and the keynote for the media and consumers. This shouldn't change a single thing about what Apple announces or what they ultimately release this Fall.

Soli · March 13, 2020 5:30PM

ericthehalfbee said:
The real issue is the access that WWDC attendees have to the 1,000 or so engineers Apple brings along. You could chat with them one-on-one about your project/code. That's really the point of attending (and paying the $1,599 ticket price). They can't open that up to millions of people.

I think Apple will have to find some way to still sell "tickets" to the usual attendees, and restrict Apple engineers to only spend time with those people who paid for access (through some online method). So you get the same benefit as before when paying - access to Apple engineers.

I'm leaning heavily toward Apple not figuring out or caring about not having attendees pay $1600 for virtual onine sessions.

PS: Don't forget the value of networking with other attendees.

sergioz · March 13, 2020 5:32PM

I always watch it online anyways!

FLMusic · March 13, 2020 5:46PM

This would actually be really great for developers all over the world who are typically unable to attend. Can’t wait to see how the online sessions go!!

MplsP · March 13, 2020 5:58PM

Soli said:

This is completely expected and exactly what I thought Apple would do. This does suck for attendees for their experience, the networking, and being able to talk to Apple engineers in person, but the majority of this has always been online for developers and the keynote for the media and consumers. This shouldn't change a single thing about what Apple announces or what they ultimately release this Fall.

Yes, but unfortunately, viruses love to network, too. (Pun intended...)

apple ][ · March 13, 2020 6:15PM

I've never attended an Apple event live, nor have most Apple fans, so this makes zero difference to the vast majority of people.

Keep the events coming! Keep the new product announcements coming!

Just stream them all! Who needs an audience! Screw the audience! The stars of the events are the new products being shown!

The show must go on, virus or no virus!

lkrupp · March 13, 2020 6:26PM

apple ][ said:

I've never attended an Apple event live, nor have most Apple fans, so this makes zero difference to the vast majority of people.

Keep the events coming! Keep the new product announcements coming!

Just stream them all! Who needs an audience! Screw the audience! The stars of the events are the new products being shown!

The show must go on, virus or no virus!

Well, the keynote is the address most people watch online. What goes on after that is one-on-one sessions between Apple engineers and developers. That's where the meat of WWDC takes place. The product announcements are from the marketing team.

apple ][ · March 13, 2020 6:36PM

lkrupp said:
Well, the keynote is the address most people watch online. What goes on after that is one-on-one sessions between Apple engineers and developers. That's where the meat of WWDC takes place. The product announcements are from the marketing team.

Yes, that is true, I wasn't just thinking about the WWDC though.

If there are any other product announcement events that were planned, there was a rumor about a possible March product event (SE2?), then those should still go ahead, without an audience in my opinion.

yojimbo007 · March 13, 2020 8:49PM

Just as good if not better ! 👊🏼👊🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼

Soli · March 13, 2020 9:06PM

lkrupp said:

apple ][ said:

I've never attended an Apple event live, nor have most Apple fans, so this makes zero difference to the vast majority of people.

Keep the events coming! Keep the new product announcements coming!

Just stream them all! Who needs an audience! Screw the audience! The stars of the events are the new products being shown!

The show must go on, virus or no virus!

Well, the keynote is the address most people watch online. What goes on after that is one-on-one sessions between Apple engineers and developers. That's where the meat of WWDC takes place. The product announcements are from the marketing team.

I wouldn’t call it “the meat” since it accounts for a such a small aspect of the event. For those in attendance it’s important and valuable, but very few developers even go to this annual event. It’s the sessions themselves that are “the meat” of this event. It’s the main dish, it’s primary source of sustainable of the upcoming OS changes. This is what all the paid developers look forward to that are not in attendance. This is why Apple can easily make this shift without it being a big deal to them. In fact, it probably reduces their logistics efforts and costs considerably to no have in-person sessions this year.

ericthehalfbee · March 13, 2020 11:42PM

Soli said:

lkrupp said:

apple ][ said:

I've never attended an Apple event live, nor have most Apple fans, so this makes zero difference to the vast majority of people.

Keep the events coming! Keep the new product announcements coming!

Just stream them all! Who needs an audience! Screw the audience! The stars of the events are the new products being shown!

The show must go on, virus or no virus!

Well, the keynote is the address most people watch online. What goes on after that is one-on-one sessions between Apple engineers and developers. That's where the meat of WWDC takes place. The product announcements are from the marketing team.

I wouldn’t call it “the meat” since it accounts for a such a small aspect of the event. For those in attendance it’s important and valuable, but very few developers even go to this annual event. It’s the sessions themselves that are “the meat” of this event. It’s the main dish, it’s primary source of sustainable of the upcoming OS changes. This is what all the paid developers look forward to that are not in attendance. This is why Apple can easily make this shift without it being a big deal to them. In fact, it probably reduces their logistics efforts and costs considerably to no have in-person sessions this year.

I disagree. The sessions are made available to watch after the event. So if all you’re after are the sessions you don’t need to attend WWDC. Meeting one-on-one with engineers is the real “meat”. They have over 1,000 engineers in attendance vs around 75 different sessions. Clearly Apple expects developers to spend time talking to their engineers, otherwise why would they have so many attend?

Soli · March 14, 2020 2:50AM

ericthehalfbee said:

Soli said:

lkrupp said:

apple ][ said:

I've never attended an Apple event live, nor have most Apple fans, so this makes zero difference to the vast majority of people.

Keep the events coming! Keep the new product announcements coming!

Just stream them all! Who needs an audience! Screw the audience! The stars of the events are the new products being shown!

The show must go on, virus or no virus!

Well, the keynote is the address most people watch online. What goes on after that is one-on-one sessions between Apple engineers and developers. That's where the meat of WWDC takes place. The product announcements are from the marketing team.

I wouldn’t call it “the meat” since it accounts for a such a small aspect of the event. For those in attendance it’s important and valuable, but very few developers even go to this annual event. It’s the sessions themselves that are “the meat” of this event. It’s the main dish, it’s primary source of sustainable of the upcoming OS changes. This is what all the paid developers look forward to that are not in attendance. This is why Apple can easily make this shift without it being a big deal to them. In fact, it probably reduces their logistics efforts and costs considerably to no have in-person sessions this year.

I disagree. The sessions are made available to watch after the event. So if all you’re after are the sessions you don’t need to attend WWDC. Meeting one-on-one with engineers is the real “meat”. They have over 1,000 engineers in attendance vs around 75 different sessions. Clearly Apple expects developers to spend time talking to their engineers, otherwise why would they have so many attend?

How is "the real meat" of all the changes coming to their OSes for the year only for a select few that happen to win a lottery? Does that mean that the countless devs who can't attend are not going to benefit from these sessions because they have to watch it live streamed or recorded after the fact? Do you think that all those devs won't be able to adequately use the tools demoed in the session because they weren't there in person?

Apple announces WWDC 2020 'online experience' taking place in June

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