WWDC history: Apple's product launches since 2005
As anticipation builds ahead of WWDC 2019 – which Apple has just announced will take place from 3 – 7 June in San Jose, at the McEnery Convention Center – we’ve found it instructive to remind ourselves of the major product announcements we’ve enjoyed at WWDC gatherings over the past decade and more.
Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference has been an important event on the Apple calendar since as far back as the 80s, but has become increasingly known for Apple hardware and software announcements since around 2005.
Here, we take a look back at Apple’s most significant WWDC announcements. If you’d like to see for yourself what the fuss is all about, tickets to WWDC 2019 can be bought through random selection. Here’s how to get WWDC tickets.
WWDC 2018
When: 4-8 June 2018
Where: McEnery Convention Center, San Jose
What was announced? macOS Mojave, iOS 12, watchOS 5, tvOS 12
Major updates to all four of the main operating systems – speed boosts for older iPhones, Dark Mode for Macs, Activity competitions for Apple Watch owners – but there were no hardware announcements at all in 2018. It was still a good night, though: relive the fun in our WWDC 2018 product announcements article.
WWDC 2017
When: 5-9 June 2017
Where: McEnery Convention Center, San Jose
What was announced? macOS High Sierra, iOS 11, watchOS 4, tvOS 11, new iPad Pro models, iMac Pro, MacBook upgrades; HomePod.
The 2017 event was a blockbuster! As well as the now-customary raft of updates to Apple’s four software platforms, there were new iPads (including an entirely new size), minor MacBook updates, iMac news (including the iMac Pro) and the hugely anticipated HomePod.
What an event. You can catch up on all the news and excitement in our dedicated WWDC 2017 report.
Plus, the UK Tech Weekly Podcast team dissected the WWDC announcements in episode 64.
WWDC 2016
When: 13-17 June 2016
Where: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium & Moscone Center West, San Francisco
What was announced? macOS Sierra, iOS 10, watchOS 3 and tvOS 10.
There were four main areas in Apple’s WWDC 2016 press conference – tvOS, macOS (formerly known as OS X), watchOS and, of course, iOS. There were updates across the board, but the most impressive came in the form of iOS 10.
iOS got a completely redesigned lock screen and notification system and enhanced 3D Touch shortcuts. And the Music app was given a much simpler design that is easier to navigate and use.
You can catch up on all the news and excitement in our dedicated WWDC 2016 report.
The UK Tech Weekly Podcast dissected the announcements of WWDC in its 19th episode. We’ve embedded the audio below in case you’d like to hear what the team have to say. The WWDC section starts at the 26:30 point.
WWDC 2015
When: 8-12 June
Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco
What was announced? iOS 9 and Mac OS X 10.11 ‘El Capitan’ were the big-name software updates. watchOS for the Apple Watch got its first big update, too. But the biggest announcement of the night was Apple Music, the company’s answer to Spotify.
WWDC 2014
When: 2 June
Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco
What was announced?
iOS 8 and OS X 10.10, both of which represented significant changes and improvements over the previous versions. There were no hardware announcements.
To prevent 2013’s two-minute sell-out fiasco from happening a second time, Apple decided to allow developers to register for the conference over a period of five days, after which the company randomly selected 5,000 attendees from the applicants.
Reminisce:
WWDC 2007
When: 11 June
Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco
What was announced?
Apple used WWDC 2007 to show off a feature-complete beta of Mac OS X Leopard, which would be released later that year. Safari made its way onto Windows PCs, and developer tools for the iPhone, which had been launched in January of 2007 at Macworld, were also shown off. Steve Jobs announced during the Apple keynote that there were a record-breaking 5,000 attendees at WWDC 2007.
Reminisce:
WWDC: Analysts mixed optimism at Apple futures
Image: Shazron/Flickr