Keynote events are a great way to keep your customers informed about upcoming developments, whether they're hardware or software related. And to that end, Apple tends to organize at least two major events in a calendar year. First is its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), and the other is the September keynote, where we often see the latest iPhones and other hardware.

Now, while the number of product events Apple hosts isn't always the same, WWDC is a constant. Here, we will explain what the annual conference is all about and why it matters.

WWDC Is the Place for All Things Software (And More)

New Apple OS lineup
Image Credit: Apple

Apple has been organizing developer conferences since 1983, but it wasn't until 1990 that the company first used the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) name.

The event serves as a week-long haven for those who develop applications and software tools for Apple devices as they get an opportunity to learn about new features across all available platforms (iOS, iPadOS, macOS, etc.) and how they're supposed to work.

And after many years of being software-only, WWDC did evolve to include some product announcements, serving as a launchpad for some of the best Apple hardware. Last year, alongside new software for its devices, Apple unveiled the M2 chip and M2-powered MacBook Air, which featured the first significant redesign for the laptop line since 2018.

As for the format of the five-day conference, the first day starts with a keynote where Apple details all the major announcements (software and hardware), followed by the Platforms State of the Union, which has an increased focus on new software features. And then there's the Apple Design Awards, which celebrates the best application design and development teams over the previous year.

The remaining four days are chock full of lab sessions and other events for developers to learn about the software tools at play.

Where and When Does WWDC Take Place?

Photo of the Apple Park in California

Over the years, WWDC has taken place in locations spread across California. Since 1990, San Francisco and San Jose have been the most popular locations for the event, having hosted it 14 and 16 times, respectively. The last large-scale in-person event was in 2019 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center.

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a change in how Apple organizes the event. 2020 and 2021 saw a completely online event, but in 2022, the iPhone maker chose a mixed format with an in-person experience for the first day and online sessions for other days.

Apple typically holds the WWDC event in June every year. For the WWDC 2023 event that kicks off on June 5th, Apple has invited a limited set of developers—selected via a lottery system—to the Apple Park headquarters in Cupertino to attend the keynote screening and interact with the teams at Apple.

WWDC Helps Set the Tone for Apple Software

WWDC is an exciting event to look forward to every year, as it has something in store for the developers and users of Apple products. It even sets the tone for what we can expect from the various operating systems as the year progresses. So, whether you're a customer or a developer who works on Apple software, WWDC is something you shouldn't miss!