Inside WWDC Apple, shocks Mac Pro to the merger of Wi-Fi

Apple is known for its well-made product launches and, at the time of Steve Jobs, a peculiar and magical showman unveiling groundbreaking products, including iPhone and the Macbook Air. But WWDC This is the moment when society struggles and becomes geek with its developers. I've finally got a first-hand look at what it's all about.

This year's WWDC, affectionately dubbed "Dub Dub", has not disappointed, as Apple is opening up a host of news, including privacy tools such as the ability to get you signed by Apple in third-party applications and services, the new iPadOS platform designed for iPads more than PC type and the Mac Pro at $ 5,999 which requires a $ 999 display support (this $ 4,999 Optional Pro Display XDR Accessory).

Oh and dark mode for iOS 13

Despite a decade and a half of technical coverage and seating at countless events (including an iPhone launch), I have never attended WWDC before. So when I was offered the opportunity to be on the ground in California, I jumped on the opportunity.

It was wild. Frantic. Sometimes overwhelming.

I wanted to have another point of view on WWDC. I therefore asked the editor of CNET, Connie Guglielmo, to share some thoughts after more than 20 visits to the conference of developers Apple. Of course, she came back with more than a few. Like so much more. So I explained how our respective WWDCs have evolved.

A little background

Connie: I do not remember the first WWDC I attended as a junior journalist for MacWeek, a weekly magazine about Apple in the early 90s. WWDC and Macworld Expo, at the beginning in Apple's history, were important contracts for people and "events" that you would not want to miss if you were interested in the Macintosh at all.

This was especially true in 1997 – the year that Steve Jobs returned to Apple after being fired a dozen years ago. As shown by countless YouTube videos, Jobs, with its black turtleneck and jeans, played with the crowd and explained to you how Apple had worked hard on some software or hardware to solve a difficult problem that you do not have. did not even know. . As a reporter for Bloomberg News in 2005, I was present at WWDC when he announced that the company would switch to Intel chips on Mac. There was some nonsense, but most of the 3,800 developers applauded when Jobs explained why the "transition" to Intel made sense.

Roger: I may be a WWDC rookie, but I'm no stranger to technological events, having covered everything, from the launch of the first Android phone, the G1 at the beginning of this year the foldable Huawei Mate X at the World Mobile Congress.

But given my background as a New York-based telecommunications journalist, WWDC has remained an elusive event. The developer conferences are largely a Silicon Valley affair, and there were always a lot of local journalists who had priority. As far as telecommunication companies are concerned, few people are queuing to embark on a Sprint developer conference (any of them I attended).

The first crowds

Connie: What I remember is the sense of excitement – and the lines. Fans would line up for hours or even days before the events to make sure they had a place in the auditorium to hear what Apple had to offer. I remember staying with the crowd, waiting for the doors to open, when someone, eager to start the one-year event, shouted, "It's like Disneyland for the helical heads ".

Roger: Front row photos outside the San Jose McEnery Convention Center litter my Twitter feed around 6 am, but when I went to the building at 8 am, much of the crowd Was infiltrated. A handful of stragglers headed for the main entrance, eager Apple employees on the way in.

It was a discrete re-creation of an iPhone launch on the Apple Store of Fifth Avenue.

But, like the experience of Connie, there was excitement that resulted from the crossing of the hallways inside, towards the entrance to the main hall . As members of the media, we were the first to enter, drawing our attention to the long, winding lines of developers waiting for hours.

Enter the speech

Connie: The enthusiasm of the developers does not seem to have faded – judging by the extent that I started using years ago: how long does it take for an auditorium to fill up with more than 5,000 Apple developers? Typical loading time: less than four minutes.

Many things have remained the same since these first WWDCs. At WWDC19, developers were eager to take their place and applaud the new software features. There are the demos of the new version of Mac OS – once named after the cats, now named after places in California – and iOS, meant for a fall out, but everyone knows that means September, when the next iPhone will be revealed.

Roger: There was no hurry in the auditorium as the crowd made their way through the doors of the conference room. The reason: practically everyone was lifting their phone to capture the moment.

The YouTube reporter, Brownlee Brands, in the same fray as waiting, cracks out: "You think that will end up on the Internet?

We also slowed down things once we got inside: the almost complete darkness of the room, except for the large screens located at the front, which brightened small colored objects that lit up the space a little.

CNET's editor-in-chief, Scott Stein, later told me that Connie had to hang on his sleeve to make sure they stay together.

I did what I do in all the other events and I instinctively ran for places. In case I never go back to another WWDC, I wanted to be sure to have a good view.

The keynote and the consequences

Connie: Apple's specially designed videos for developers to feel part of something special are particularly memorable, including Jony Ive's voice-over narration in the UK of new products. This year, Apple's design manager took us on a tour of the new Mac Show XR in his sweet British accent.

There's also the welcome video that, for WWDC19, is a black and white homage to late-night coders titled "Goodnight Developers", which contains the closing phrase "As long as the world sleeps, you dream". It has already been watched more than 265,000 times since Monday's keynote address.

Roger: The most memorable element of the keynote was the total collapse of any connectivity with my MacBook Air. The WWDC Wi-Fi was not working and my laptop seemed to reject all available Wi-Fi access points.

I spent most of my time trying to cover the event with my phone, while trying to absorb the flow of information coming quickly and furiously. I remember shouts of joy anyway unusual news as updates to the programming language announced by Swift. Then gasped when Apple unveiled the price of its Mac Pro. And this monitor support of $ 999.

I've also seen how much the developers adore Craig Federighi, senior vice president of software and favorite fans because of the humor and colors he infuses into his presentations. (His nickname, thanks to his silver hair mane, is "Hair Force One.") I noticed that the developers were subtly taking pictures of him while he was sitting with Connie and his colleague Editor-in-chief of CNET, Jason Hiner. Exclusive interview to discuss why the iPad can replace your computer.

Yes, at each technical conference

Connie: I've seen the long lines waiting for the men's bathroom after the two-hour keynote speech, while we women can just enter.

Roger: I can confirm the long wait for the men's bathroom. It was not fun.

Last thoughts

Connie: One day, I wrote in an article that tried to explain the fascination with Apple, saying that "Steve Jobs and Apple are like Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead, if you have to ask people why they think they are excellent, you do not understand them. " . "CEO Tim Cook has replaced Apple's co-founder since Jobs disappeared in 2011, giving developers the show they need to continue to invest in creating new applications and services for Apple devices.

There is no question of it. The company is a success, whether you get it or not.

Roger: WWDC has proved exhausting, but memorable. Yes, the developers shouted "Dub Dub" about Apple employees who praised the crowd, the place was bigger than before and the applause was there.

However, Connie's dispatches give me the impression that the excitement and the moments felt were more epic during the day.

And then there is the Jobs factor. Cook wisely avoided trying to imitate his predecessor. But that just means that there is a little less magic in the WWDC rooms.

The story was published at 5 o'clock in the morning.

Update, 1:35 PM PT: To include additional information.