What Apple has in store for the 26th annual WWDC
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Tess Danielson Staff Writer
Apple announced Tuesday that its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will begin June 8 and run through June 12. The theme for the 26th installment of the event is "The epicenter of change," where Apple claims those in attendance will "learn about the future of iOS and OS X."
Tickets will go on sale Tuesday for developers and Apple is providing up to 350 WWDC Scholarships for students and those involved with organizations related to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). While the event is meant to cater to developers, it is wildly popular with general Apple fans and typically sells out quickly, like in 2013, when tickets vanished in two minutes. This year, passes will go for $1,599 a piece.
So what will a nearly $1,600 ticket to the 2015 WWDC get you? Quite a lot. Apple will feature more than 100 technical sessions for developing, deploying, and integrating the latest iOS and OS X technologies, along with more than 100 hands-on labs that will be guided by more than 1,000 Apple engineers. For those who cannot attend, Apple will be living streaming many of the events.
“The App Store ignited an app ecosystem that is simply amazing, forever changing the lives of customers and creating millions of jobs worldwide,” says Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, in a statement. “We’ve got incredible new technologies for iOS and OS X to share with developers at WWDC and around the world, and can’t wait to see the next generation of apps they create.”
Though the conference has a focus on expanding the knowledge of Apple’s operating systems, WWDC has historically unveiled new or updated hardware products. Last year, Apple showed off the new programming language for its operating systems, Swift, and a new platform for game developers, Metal.
This year, it is likely Apple will reveal iOS 9 and OS X 10.11, but some are speculating we might also get a look at the revamped Apple TV and its apps.
For anyone looking to snag a pass, Apple will be randomly selecting individuals to buy tickets. Those interested will need to register for a chance to attend by Friday, April 17, at 10 am Pacific Time, and Apple will announce who has been selected by Monday, April 20, 5 pm Pacific.
