Over the past 30 years, WWDC has been the stage for several amazing product announcements in addition to important software releases. With Tim Cook presenting the Worldwide Developers Conference for 11 years now, BGR gathered some of the most interesting announcements during his leadership as the Cupertino firm prepares to unveil its upcoming mixed reality headset.
iOS 7 started a long and winding road for the iPhone’s bright future
When iOS 7 was announced in June 2013, Tim Cook was CEO for a year now. Although it wasn’t his idea to redesign the iPhone’s operating system, it was under his leadership that Apple completely revamped how the iPhone would look from now on.
Although a lot has changed over this decade, iOS 7 basics are still in iOS 16, and it shows the big shift Apple made for the whole industry in how software – and even logo brands – should look. Apple has made revamps in specific iOS areas, but the company has never remade this operating system yet again.
Swift brought coding to all people
Announced in 2014, Swift started a fundamental pillar of Apple’s belief: Coding is a fundamental human right – and all people should have access to the future’s language. This WWDC announcement changed how developers create apps, and with each year’s update, Apple offered more tools to make coding accessible.
Swift has become so popular that you can try coding on your Mac and iPad. Apple even offers classes with Swift Playgrounds and partnerships with schools and universities. Engaging and empowering communities is one of the things Tim Cook is known for.
Apple’s focus on services: Apple Music announced at WWDC 2015
“One more thing,” said Tim Cook before announcing Apple Music’s streaming service. Steve Jobs’ favorite punchline started what would be Apple’s most popular service, which would later open the gates for several online subscriptions, including Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+, iCloud+, and the Apple One bundle.
I remember watching Tim Cook unveiling Apple Music. Once it was available, I deleted all my iTunes library in favor of Apple Music. From that day on, I’ve been a subscriber of this service, even though my library was erased a few times thanks to bugs on the app.
The beginning of Intel’s end: Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR
When Apple announced the new Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR at WWDC 2019, the company was around 15 months away from ditching Intel for its own silicon. At the time, Apple was betting on a configurable CPU so video editors, developers, scientists, and many more could take advantage of the best hardware available.
The Pro Display XDR was also a breakthrough announcement, as Apple had never released another monitor besides the 2011 Apple Thunderbolt Display. The company wanted to compete with the really high-end displays. What makes these WWDC announcements important is the fact that this was Jony Ive’s last apparition as an Apple executive alongside Tim Cook.
A fresh new look for the MacBook Air
Before Apple’s Reality Pro headset announcement, I want to highlight the company’s M2 MacBook Air. Although all the hype came with the M1 Macs, the second generation brought a revamped MacBook Air with a MagSafe port, improved webcam, and industrial design.
Since the MacBook Air was such a breakthrough announcement during the Steve Jobs era, it was nice seeing Tim Cook presenting this new iteration – and rumors say a 15-inch version is being announced during this WWDC 2023 keynote.
