Amaya Toman In connection with the ever-spreading epidemic of a new type of coronavirus, various mass events and conferences are being cancelled. Recently, Google, Microsoft and Facebook have canceled their events. These are far from the only events taking place in the foreseeable future - Google I/O 2020, for example, was scheduled for mid-May. A question mark also hangs over the annual developer conference WWDC, which Apple traditionally organizes in June.
The company usually announces the date of WWDC in mid-April – so there is still relatively enough time for any announcement about its holding (or cancellation). However, the situation is still such that meetings of larger groups of people from different parts of the world are rather undesirable. It is not yet clear how the epidemic will develop further, and even experts do not dare to predict its further progress. So what happens if Apple has to cancel its June developer conference?
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The epidemic of the new coronavirus is certainly not something that should be underestimated or trivialized, but at the same time it is not good to panic unnecessarily. However, certain measures, such as limiting or banning travel, or canceling events where large numbers of people meet, are certainly reasonable, at least at the moment, because they can help slow the spread of the disease.
Apple has been holding its WWDC developer conference for many years. During that time, the event has undergone a significant change, and the event, which was originally held practically behind closed doors, has become a phenomenon that - or the opening Keynote - is watched with enthusiasm not only by experts, but also by the lay public. It is precisely modern technology that gives Apple the opportunity not to end WWDC for good. One option is to invite a small number of selected guests to the Steve Jobs Theater. Basic health entry checks, similar to those currently taking place at airports and other locations, are also being considered. Exceptionally, even "outside" listeners would not have to participate in the conference - it could be an event intended only for Apple employees. The live stream has been an obvious part of every opening Keynote at WWDC for several years, so it would not be anything extraordinary for Apple in this regard.
Check out previous WWDC invitations and wallpapers:
Human factor
In addition to the presentation of new software and other products and services, an integral part of every WWDC is also the meeting of experts and the exchange of experience, information and contacts. WWDC does not only consist of the main Keynote, but also a number of other events where developers from all over the world can meet key representatives of Apple, which is a mutually important opportunity. Face-to-face meetings of this type cannot be replaced by remote communication, where developers are usually limited to reporting bugs or providing suggestions for further improvements. To a certain extent, even these face-to-face meetings could be replaced by a virtual alternative – Apple engineers could theoretically, for example, set aside a certain amount of time during which they would spend time with individual developers via FaceTime or Skype calls.
New opportunity?
Magazine's Jason Snell Macworld in his commentary, he notes that moving Keynote into the virtual space could eventually bring certain benefits to all parties involved. For example, "smaller" developers who cannot afford an expensive trip to California will certainly welcome the possibility of a virtual meeting with Apple representatives. For the company, the reduction of costs associated with the holding of the conference could in turn mean an opportunity to invest in the development of new technologies. Snell acknowledges that certain aspects and components of the conference simply cannot be transferred to a virtual space, but he points out that for most people WWDC is already a virtual event - basically only a fraction of all developers will visit California, and the rest of the world watches WWDC via live broadcasts. podcasts, videos and articles.
Even before WWDC, however, the March Keynote is scheduled to take place. The date of its holding has not yet been specified, as well as whether it will take place at all - according to original estimates, it was supposed to take place at the end of the month.
Nothing happens at all. There are more important things in life
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the earth will continue to spin, people will solve other problems now