Bejopi packs for WWDC (iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch are trademarks of Apple Inc.)
Hard to believe Apple’s big developer conference is just 3 days away!
Rumors are swirling around what new products will or will not be announced at what Apple is calling “The Epicenter of Change.” Will the news live up to this earth-shaking title?
I am thankful to be among one of the lucky 5000 developers who will be attending this year, and I am hoping for some surprises.
I thought I’d take a moment to put in my wish list.
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Last Year’s Big Surprise: Swift
It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since Apple introduced a completely new language to the world (Swift) at WWDC 2014.
I think it’s fair to say it caught everyone off guard, and it goes to show they can still keep a secret in Cupertino.
Swift was an immediate hit, and since that time, it has experienced a rapid adoption rate.
Not only are the features of the language innovative, but the addition of playgrounds (interactive experimentation environments) to Xcode is a step in the right direction as well.
Can Apple top the introduction of Swift as a surprise?
WWDC Wishlist Item #1: Xcode/IB Timelines
SpriteKit was a welcomed addition to the iOS framework family, and became a huge competitor to frameworks such as Cocos2D.
So since Apple is heading in the gaming direction, let me also say my first wish is that they will add a better animation tool with timelines.
Having timelines added to Interface Builder/Xcode would be a huge win.
Third Party Example: SpriteBuilder
WWDC Wishlist Item #2: Lean UI Prototyping Tools
The world is in love with Lean! If you’re not familiar with Lean, it represents a shift in the way apps are developed. Minimum viable products (MVP’s) are created with bare-bones (if any) functionality, then they are tested, and the feedback is used to drive development.
The idea is to create a product that everyone wants by listening as you go, as opposed to creating a product, then finding out no one wants it after you have invested thousands of dollars.
It’s clear Apple is aware of this movement. They have presented at least one session on prototyping at WWDC which follows this approach.
Wouldn’t it be epic if they created their own tools to develop MVP prototypes? And wouldn’t it be awesome if you could actually use those projects to then build an actual app?
Third Party Example: AppCooker, Blueprint
WWDC Wishlist Item #3: A New Apple TV + SDK + More
I am one of those people who refuses to torrent anything or obtain any kind of content illegally. I also cut the cable cord recently. These two factors have cut me off from a lot of content I desire, although I have had relief from services like Sling TV.
We own three Apple TVs, but we also own a few of Apple’s competitors: a Roku 3, and an Amazon Fire TV.
I was surprised how much I love the Roku 3. I thought it would be an Apple TV knockoff, but I quickly realized they were doing some innovative new things. Here are some killer Roku 3 features:
- An advanced remote: The Roku 3 remote features Bluetooth, a headphone jack with volume controls, a gyroscope for pointing. It’s a killer remote. To compete, the new Apple TV has to have a better remote!
- User created content: Anyone can become a broadcaster with Roku. There are great free channels, and there are crappy free channels. It’s not likely Apple would ever allow such open content, but user content would be awesome!
- Apps: Roku apps don’t seem super popular. I doubt anyone is making a mint off of them, but they’re cool none-the-less. I’m ready for apps on my Apple TV.
The TV market feels little like the MP3 recording industry before iTunes and digital distribution of music. I feel like it’s time for a big shakeup! Is anyone else tired of being told which channels they need to bundle together?
That’s my WWDC wishlist. Let’s see if any of my wishes come true.
