Apple's World Wide Developers Conference Goes Virtual GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO News > Software & Apps

Apple's World Wide Developers Conference Goes Virtual (and Free)

COVID-19 has us all, including Apple, changing the way we do things

By Rob LeFebvre Rob LeFebvre Associate Editorial Director, News UCLA California State University, Northridge Rob LeFebvre is the Associate Editorial Director, News for Lifewire. He has been a technology writer for more than 12 years with articles appearing in 148Apps, Cult of Mac, Engadget, and more. lifewire's editorial guidelines Published on May 5, 2020 01:29PM EDT Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Software & Apps Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming The annual developers conference is both virtual and free this year, putting all Apple devs on an equal footing, which could lead to some interesting innovations. Apple Inc Apple announced that its 31st annual World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) will start on June 22, 2020 as a virtual event. It will be free to all registered developers, down from the typical $1500 ticket price. What is WWDC? This event is typically held in the summer, with developers from all over the globe coming to attend workshops, learn new skills, and hear Apple's plans for its various operating systems. This year, it's likely we'll see new information about iOS 14 and watchOS 7, as predicted by MacRumors. Virtual reality: Thanks to the global pandemic, Apple and other companies have had to scramble to keep their typical schedules, including developer conferences. Microsoft's Build has been made free and scheduled as a virtual event for May 19th and 20th, while Facebook's annual F8 conference was straight-up canceled. Phil Schiller says: “WWDC20 will be our biggest yet, bringing together our global developer community of more than 23 million in an unprecedented way for a week in June to learn about the future of Apple platforms,” Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, said in a statement. Student opportunity: Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering (affectionately known as Hair Force One), noted that there were more than 350 students from 37 different countries that attended WWDC last year. To further encourage students to develop for Apple platforms, Federighi announced that the company will hold a new Swift Student Challenge. Students will build a Swift Playground environment using Apple's Swift coding software, while competing for a collectible WWDC20 jacket and pin set. The bigger picture: By having the event virtually and charging no fee for access, Apple is setting up for perhaps more developers than ever to attend the event. It could be a sea change by encouraging students and developers that could not otherwise afford the entry fee or associated travel costs. We could even see an increase in new, interesting apps from such a larger group of software makers.

Learn More About App Developers

Computer Science How-To, Help & Tips for Using the Internet Best Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Apple Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2023: Announcements, News, and More How to Watch Apple Events in 2022 Facebook F8 2022: Dates, News, Rumors, and Everything Else to Know The Next Apple Event: Dates, News, Rumors, and Everything Else To Know Meta/Facebook's Bet on Virtual Reality DeveloperWeek 2023: Dates, News, Rumors, and Everything Else To Know Google I/O 2023: Dates, News, Rumors, and Everything Else To Know AfroTech World 2022: Dates, News, and Everything Else to Know Women in Tech Summit: Dates, News, Rumors, and Everything Else To Know CES 2023: Dates, News, Announcements, Rumors, and Everything Else to Know GDC 2023: Dates, News, Announcements, Rumors, and More E3 2022: Dates, News, Announcements, Rumors, and Everything Else to Know PSVR 2: News and Expected Price, Release Date, Specs; and More Rumors Micromobility World: Dates, News, Rumors, and Everything Else To Know Nvidia GTC 2023: Dates, News, Rumors, and Everything Else to Know Adobe Summit: Dates, News, Rumors, and Everything Else to Know Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies