Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is a key event in the technology calendar. Each year, it gives developers, tech enthusiasts, and the public a preview of Apple’s future software, and occasionally, new hardware. WWDC’s path from a focused developer meeting to a global tech showcase reflects Apple’s own growth from a small garage into a global tech leader.
𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬
Though Apple held developer conferences since 1983, WWDC officially began in 1990. In the 1990s, its main goal was fostering developer relationships and gathering feedback. Early conferences centered on the evolving Mac OS. At WWDC, Apple shared its OS roadmaps so the developers can adopt them when they release.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐉𝐨𝐛𝐬 𝐄𝐫𝐚
Steve Jobs’ 1997 return to Apple reshaped WWDC. His WWDC 1997 “fireside chat” signaled a new direction, famously stating “focus is about saying no.” Under Jobs, WWDCs featured landmark announcements. Key moments included Mac OS X, built on NeXTSTEP for a modern Mac foundation.
A pivotal moment was the 2008 iPhone SDK reveal and App Store launch, revolutionizing the mobile industry, creating a new developer economy. Also iCloud, announced at Jobs’ final WWDC in 2011, further solidified Apple’s cosystem.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐉𝐨𝐛𝐬 𝐄𝐫𝐚
Under Tim Cook’s leadership, WWDC continued evolving. It broadened focus beyond computers and phones, introducing watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS with dedicated development tools. The event also adopted a hybrid format from 2020 with covid-19.
In 2014, Unveiling Swift language was a key moment. Designed as a safer, faster, and easier alternative to Objective-C, Swift provided developers with advanced tools. Its clean syntax, safety, and performance quickly attracted users, lowering the app development barrier.
𝐖𝐖𝐃𝐂 2024 & 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞
Last WWDC heavily emphasized on AI, unveiling “Apple Intelligence” Integrated into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, these AI features are designed to be personal, powerful, and private. Highlights included a revamped Siri, system-wide writing tools, image generation, and an OpenAI partnership for ChatGPT access, signaling Apple’s deep investment in generative AI.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭?
WWDC is scheduled for June 9-13, 2025. I believe this will follow the same theme with more focus on a unified experience across devices.
What are your favorite WWDC moments or predictions for future conferences?