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Apple announced yesterday that for the second year in a row, its Global Developer Conference will be a virtual event – and I think that has implications for the future of WWDC.
While the Cupertino company is a big fan of in-person interactions, the online event certainly offers significant benefits …
First of all, I noticed last year that I liked the format of the prerecorded keynotes.
WWDC keynotes and iPhone launches can sometimes feel like they’re hanging around – much longer than they should be. Yesterday’s pace was fast, with nothing that looked like padding […]
Having everything pre-recorded means Apple can sit back and take a quiet look at the event as a whole, and get multiple people’s feedback on how it works. If some segments feel rushed while others feel slow. It can re-record at will and edit the final images in the best possible event […]
It was also more visually interesting. The different settings gave the presentations more variety than a group of people standing on the same stage.
I was far from the only one in this: in our poll, almost half of you wanted prerecorded videos, and almost everyone wanted a hybrid format, with more use of video.
Second, yesterday we noted the huge inclusiveness advantage of virtual events.
Last year, the all-virtual WWDC was widely praised for helping to make the conference more inclusive for everyone, especially given the cost normally associated with traveling to San Jose, California for the conference. Tim Cook boasted that WWDC 2020 drew 22 million viewers across all of Apple’s streams. Apple was able to put together 72 hours of video content for developers and run 4,500 person-to-person labs.
My colleague Michael Potuck suggested that it would make it quite difficult for Apple to return to an in-person-only conference, as the company might face a negative reaction to reversing that inclusiveness – going back to when the event took place. limited to those. who could afford it and get a place in the ballot. I agree.
So even by next year, when we’re all hoping that the pandemic is largely a memory, I think Apple will likely go for a hybrid format, both ways.
I think the presentation format will use the pre-recorded video segments a lot more, given the popularity of those, and I also think Apple will make the one-on-one sessions available online as well as to those who physically attend.
I don’t think this reduces the demand for in-person spots. WWDC is still massively over-subscribed, and there would always be clear benefits to attending in person. Take advantage of the atmosphere of being in the room, networking opportunities and one-on-one help from Apple representatives with specific questions and issues.
At the same time, those who could never afford the time or money to physically attend can still enjoy the sessions that interest them, from the comfort of their own home or office.
With a hybrid event, everyone wins. This is my point of view: the future of WWDC is hybrid. What do you think? Please complete our survey and share your thoughts in the comments.
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