Apple announced Tuesday it will host its 2020 Worldwide Developers Conference virtually, beginning June 22. It will be available to view using the Apple Developer app, streamed on the Apple Developer website and free for all registered developers.
Apple did not give any details of a keynote event to announce various products, but is expected to hold one on the conferences opening day.
Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, said in a statement:
“WWDC20 will be our biggest yet, bringing together our global developer community of more than 23 million in an unprecedented way … We can’t wait to meet online in June … and share … all of the new tools we’ve been working on to help them create even more incredible apps and services.”
Developers are being encouraged to download the Apple Developer app where additional program information, including keynote and Platforms State of the Union details, session and lab schedules, will be shared beginning in June. Information will also be made available on the Apple Developer website and by email.
Apple will also be hosting a Swift Student Challenge as part of the event and is taking applications as of Tuesday. Student developers can enter by creating an interactive scene in Swift Playgrounds that can be experienced in three minutes. A scholarship will be awarded to a number of participants for future on-site WWDC conferences. Winners will receive an exclusive WWDC20 jacket and pin set. More information can be found on, with more information on Apple’s website.
OS updates expected along with new hardware
As is historically the case at WWDC, Apple is expected to unveil new versions of iOS, Mac OS, watchOS, and tvOS.
Other possible new products that could be announced during 2020 WWDC:
- A rumored new 23-inch iMac.
- An 11-inch iPad Air.
- A revamped Apple TV, which hasn’t been upgraded in more than two-and-a-half years.
- A rumored, re-designed wireless charging mat.
- A Bluetooth tracking keychain attachment similar to Tile rumored to be called AirTags, which supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported in February.
- Top-end, over-ear headphones.
Following the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, Apple made the decision in March to cancel its planned face-to-face conference, set for sometime in June. “The current health situation has required that we create a new WWDC 2020 format that delivers a full program with an online keynote and sessions,” Schiller then said.