WWDC 2025 is simply across the nook. The occasion is taken into account some of the necessary within the tech world, as Apple reveals its plans for the way forward for every of its machine platforms.
WWDC has by no means simply been about new options. It’s the place Apple units the path for its platforms and, usually, all the trade. These bulletins proceed to outline how we work together with know-how. Whereas we watch for the keynote to kick off on June 9, let’s look again at 10 of the largest software program bulletins Apple made at its developer convention.
1. Mac OS X Jaguar (WWDC 2002)
Jaguar was the second main replace launched for the Mac working system after Apple transitioned from the traditional Mac OS 9 to Mac OS X. Introduced at WWDC 2002, the replace stood out not just for its enhancements but in addition for its massive cat-inspired title.
In the event you’ve been following Apple for a very long time, you in all probability know that every model of Mac OS X was named after a feline, resembling Leopard and Lion. This started with Apple engineers giving the inner codenames “Cheetah” and “Puma” to Mac OS X 10.0 and 10.1, respectively, however the public didn’t know that.
Apparently, Steve Jobs appreciated the inner names a lot that Apple determined to make use of them to advertise Mac OS X, with Mac OS X 10.2 “Jaguar” the primary to be introduced with feline branding. It wasn’t simply the title, although. Jaguar was additionally a significant improve when it got here to options, because it launched GPU-accelerated graphics for the primary time with Quartz Excessive, which additionally allowed Apple to refine the system interface with smoother animations.
Apple
2. Highlight (WWDC 2004)
Trying to find one thing with Highlight on an Apple machine appears so apparent these days, however looking for your information on a pc years in the past might be a protracted and tough process.
At WWDC 2004, Apple unveiled Highlight as one in all Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger’s marquee options. Not like different search strategies that existed earlier than, Highlight listed all the information on the pc in order that customers might simply and rapidly discover something they wanted. Jobs wowed all the viewers with a stay demo of Highlight, because it not solely positioned information, but in addition looked for paperwork, emails, contacts, and extra, with customers having the ability to refine their search by specifying a date or file sort.
Highlight has turn into a reference for all the trade, and 21 years later, the function continues to be current throughout all of Apple’s units.
3. Dashboard (WWDC 2004)
Additionally unveiled as a part of Mac OS X Tiger, Dashboard launched a wholly new secondary desktop that offered fast entry to widgets. On the time, the concept of getting widgets was a novel one. Customers might do issues like rapidly examine the climate forecast and the inventory market at a look with out having to open a particular app.
The devoted Dashboard function was ultimately discontinued by Apple, however widgets stay on not solely in macOS, but in addition in iOS. The truth is, the primary variations of Apple’s iPhone apps, resembling Climate and Shares, have been impressed by these unique Dashboard widgets.
Foundry
4. Time Machine (WWDC 2006)
Introduced at WWDC 2006 as a part of Mac OS X Leopard, Time Machine was Apple’s resolution to make knowledge backup a lot simpler. Whereas up to now customers needed to again up their information and apps manually, Time Machine got here with the promise of doing all of it robotically and periodically.
Greater than that, Apple has additionally launched a cool interface that lets customers “journey again in time” to retrieve earlier variations of information, emails, and settings in the event that they lose one thing. Time Machine is actually a wise backup that customers don’t even have to consider.
Time Machine stays one in all my favourite Mac options to today. All you must do is plug in an exterior disk to your Mac and allow Time Machine in Settings.
5. iPhone SDK (WWDC 2008)
The primary iPhone was unveiled at Macworld San Francisco in 2007, however do you know that it didn’t have an App Retailer? The one solution to create apps for the iPhone on the time was to construct net apps suitable with the cellular model of Safari.
Apple rapidly realized that wasn’t the perfect methodology, and at WWDC a 12 months later, Jobs introduced the primary iPhone SDK (the iOS title got here a number of years later). With the SDK, builders have been lastly capable of create native apps for the iPhone, opening up a complete new world of prospects. The accompanying iPhone OS 2.0 launch additionally included the App Retailer, and the remaining is historical past.
Many apps that everyone knows and love immediately have been born due to the iPhone OS SDK. This contains WhatsApp and Instagram, each created by impartial builders who needed to showcase the potential of the iPhone and the App Retailer.
6. iCloud (WWDC 2011)
After many issues with MobileMe, Apple got here up with a brand new on-line service referred to as iCloud – a brand new platform that got here with the promise of not solely fixing what the corporate had accomplished incorrect up to now, but in addition seamlessly syncing knowledge between iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Earlier than iCloud, customers nonetheless wanted a Mac or PC to switch knowledge to an iPhone or iPad, or vice versa. Now, all our knowledge is accessible on each machine, and all the pieces occurs robotically within the background. iCloud additionally paved the best way for companies like iCloud Drive, iCloud Photographs, and Household Sharing.
It’s notable that iCloud was the final Apple product personally launched by Steve Jobs. The Apple co-founder didn’t have a lot stage time at WWDC 2011 resulting from his well being situation, and he handed away in October.
Apple
7. iOS 7 (WWDC 2013)
iOS 7 represented essentially the most dramatic visible change within the historical past of Apple’s cellular working system so far. At WWDC 2013, Apple unveiled a brand new, utterly flat interface underneath the path of Jony Ive. Skeuomorphic components with textures imitating real-life objects gave solution to strong colours and white backgrounds.
The brand new interface didn’t simply rework the look of the iPhone. It led many different builders to additionally undertake the flat interface of their apps and web sites, creating a brand new development not just for Apple platforms however for all the trade. However along with the brand new interface, iOS 7 additionally launched many options which have turn into important for iPhone and iPad customers. These embrace AirDrop, Management Middle, and improved multitasking.
Since then, Apple has made different modifications to iOS, however the fundamentals of the design language launched with iOS 7 are nonetheless current all through the system. In line with rumors, Apple will lastly introduce one other main replace to the iOS interface this 12 months with iOS 19—so perhaps we’ll have a brand new addition to this record.
8. iPadOS (WWDC 2019)
In a transfer to handle the rising divergence between the iPhone and iPad, Apple cut up iOS into two at WWDC 2019 and launched a standalone OS only for the pill. Whereas nonetheless primarily based on iOS, iPadOS added particular and long-awaited options to make the most of the iPad’s bigger display screen and superior {hardware}.
With iPadOS updates through the years, Apple launched multi-windows for a similar app, a desktop-class Safari searching expertise, help for exterior storage within the Recordsdata app, Image-in-Image, mouse and trackpad help, and the power to make use of the iPad as a Mac show with Sidecar. Stories say this 12 months’s iPadOS replace will carry higher multitasking and a extra Mac-like expertise.
Foundry
9. Discover My (WWDC 2019)
It didn’t get fairly the eye as iPadOS, however at WWDC 2019, Apple additionally launched a big enchancment to its Discover My service: offline machine monitoring. Primarily based on an end-to-end encrypted Bluetooth sign, the brand new Discover My community permits customers to find iPhones, iPads, and even Macs after they’re not linked to the web.
The iPhone, iPad, or Mac sends its location to different Apple units close by, in order that the proprietor can see the place their units are by way of the Discover My app. This not solely improved Discover My and helped individuals recuperate their misplaced units extra simply, but in addition paved the best way for the launch of AirTag, a tiny Bluetooth tracker primarily based on the identical know-how.
10. App Monitoring Transparency (WWDC 2020)
This won’t be as memorable as iOS 7 or Dashboard, however App Monitoring Transparency was an necessary addition to iOS that had a big impact on the trade.
Introduced as a part of iOS 14 at WWDC 2020, Apple’s first pre-recorded occasion throughout the pandemic, App Monitoring Transparency (ATT) is a privateness function that requires apps to ask for the consumer’s consent earlier than monitoring them throughout different apps and web sites. ATT has dramatically impacted the internet advertising market and knowledge assortment.
Whereas Apple has stood up for consumer privateness with App Monitoring Transparency, the function was broadly criticized by firms, together with Meta, whose predominant income comes from ads reliant on consumer knowledge.
