It’s that special time of year, WWDC is here!
If you’re not familiar, we’re referring to Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference where they announce their new operating system (this year, iOS 14), new features (definitely), new technology (maybe), and some new hardware (possibly). As always, there are plenty of leaks flowing and rumors flying going into the keynote, but we never know what makes the cut until announcements are official.
So, if you’re not a developer, why should you care about WWDC 2020? Great question. You should care because it could be your chance to impress. New features fuel excitement, and if you can be one of the first to implement them… well, you have a real opportunity to get noticed.
Here are two groups you could impress by being an early adopter
1. Your users
If you have an app in the Apple App Store, the most important audience for you to keep in mind are your users. Impress them and delight them. Keep an eye on the new features Apple announces and embrace both large and small.
A great example would be Dark Mode, which was announced at WWDC 2019 and released as part of iOS 13. Dark Mode may have seemed minor at the time, but those who now use it love it. Nothing is worse than having your phone in Dark Mode, enjoying how easy it is on your eyes, and then opening an app that does not support it. Suddenly your screen is blazingly bright, in your face, and painful for your eyes. It’s a surprise and one that is not welcomed. A certain email app from a certain company in Mountain View did not fully support Dark Mode until just recently for all of their users. It felt lazy. It felt like they did not care about their users, and, more importantly, it left me looking for new email apps that did support it. Don’t be them. Don’t view the feature as just something minor or optional. Implement it for the sake of your users. Make them happy. Show them you care and show them that their time investment in your app is worth it.
2. Apple
They have a team of developers, designers, product owners, and analysts that have poured their heart and soul into the latest operating system. This is an exciting moment for them as they see their work unveiled to the world. If you are one of the first to implement their new features, they take notice. It is one of the few times you can get an honest, candid dialogue going with Apple. They want to know what you like about the feature, how you plan on using it, and how easy or difficult it was to implement. Their developer relations team will make the time to talk through everything with you, and if they are impressed there is a chance your app gets featured. Being featured on the App Store is priceless. You literally can’t even pay to be featured — Apple has to simply like your app. Once you are front and center, when a user opens the App Store, you will see a jump in downloads immediately. That’s every developer’s dream.
Moral of the story: WWDC 2020 is a big deal and you should be paying attention. It’s your chance to impress, so don’t let it pass you by.
If you missed the WWDC 2020 announcements, check them out here.
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