WWDC history: Apple’s product launches since 2005

When: 4-8 June 2018

Where: McEnery Convention Center, San Jose

What was announced? macOS Mojave, iOS 12, watchOS 5, tvOS 12

Major updates to all four of the main operating systems – speed boosts for older iPhones, Dark Mode for Macs, Activity competitions for Apple Watch owners – but there were no hardware announcements at all in 2018. It was still a good night, though: relive the fun in our WWDC 2018 product announcements article.

When: 5-9 June 2017

Where: McEnery Convention Center, San Jose

What was announced?  macOS High Sierra, iOS 11, watchOS 4, tvOS 11, new iPad Pro models, iMac Pro, MacBook upgrades; HomePod.

The 2017 event was a blockbuster! As well as the now-customary raft of updates to Apple’s four software platforms, there were new iPads (including an entirely new size), minor MacBook updates, iMac news (including the iMac Pro) and the hugely anticipated HomePod.

What an event. You can catch up on all the news and excitement in our dedicated WWDC 2017 report.

When: 13-17 June 2016

Where: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium & Moscone Center West, San Francisco

What was announced? macOS Sierra, iOS 10, watchOS 3 and tvOS 10.

There were four main areas in Apple’s WWDC 2016 press conference – tvOS, macOS (formerly known as OS X), watchOS and, of course, iOS. There were updates across the board, but the most impressive came in the form of iOS 10.

iOS got a completely redesigned lock screen and notification system and enhanced 3D Touch shortcuts. And the Music app was given a much simpler design that is easier to navigate and use.

You can catch up on all the news and excitement in our dedicated WWDC 2016 report.

The UK Tech Weekly Podcast dissected the announcements of WWDC in its 19th episode. We’ve embedded the audio below in case you’d like to hear what the team have to say. The WWDC section starts at the 26:30 point.

When: 8-12 June

Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco

What was announced?  iOS 9 and Mac OS X 10.11 ‘El Capitan’ were the big-name software updates. watchOS for the Apple Watch got its first big update, too. But the biggest announcement of the night was Apple Music, the company’s answer to Spotify.

When: 2 June

Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco

What was announced?

iOS 8 and OS X 10.10, both of which represented significant changes and improvements over the previous versions. There were no hardware announcements.

To prevent 2013’s two-minute sell-out fiasco from happening a second time, Apple decided to allow developers to register for the conference over a period of five days, after which the company randomly selected 5,000 attendees from the applicants.

Reminisce:

Apple, refreshed

Apple’s 2014: A reflection

When: 10 June

Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco

What was announced?

in 2013, Apple unveiled OS X 10.9 Mavericks, iOS 7, the new Mac Pro, a new MacBook Air, iTunes Radio and iWork for iCloud, making it one of the most exciting WWDCs to date. Plus, it sold out in just two minutes!

When: 11 June

Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco

In 2012, Apple used its WWDC to announce new models of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, as well as the MacBook Pro with Retina Display. OS X Mountain Lion and iOS 6 were shown off too. 2012’s WWDC sold out within two hours.

When: 6 June

Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco

What was announced?

2011’s WWDC saw Apple give us our first look at Mac OS X Lion and iOS 5. Steve Jobs also unveiled iCloud during the event, which sold out in under 12 hours.

When: 7 June

Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco

What was announced?

In 2010, Apple announced the iPhone 4 and officially renamed its iPhone OS as iOS. The FaceTime and iMovie app for iPhone were unveiled too.

WWDC 2010 sold out in just eight days. Not much attention was paid to Mac OS X this year, though, which frustrated some developers.

See:  Why WWDC 2010 doesn’t add up for me

Image: Adam Jackson/Flickr

When: 8 June

Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco

What was announced?

Sold out for the second year in a row (a trend that has continued right through to 2013’s WWDC), WWDC 2009 was host to the unveiling of iPhone OS 3.

Further demonstrations of Snow Leopard took place at the event, the 13in MacBook Pro was unveiled, and the 15in and 17in MacBook Pros were refreshed. If that’s not enough, Apple also announced the iPhone 3GS during the event.

Apple’s marketing boss Phil Schiller took to the stage to present the WWDC keynote in 2009, in the place of Steve Jobs due to illness that caused the co-founder to take medical leave from the company.

Image: Adam Jackson/Flickr

When: 9 June

Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco

What was announced?

WWDC 2008 was Apple’s first sell-out WWDC. It saw the unveiling of the iOS App Store, the second iteration of iPhone OS (iOS 2), the iPhone 3G and  a preview of Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6. .Me was rebranded to Mobile Me too.

When: 11 June

Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco

What was announced?

Apple used WWDC 2007 to show off a feature-complete beta of Mac OS X Leopard, which would be released later that year. Safari made its way onto Windows PCs, and developer tools for the iPhone, which had been launched in January of 2007 at Macworld, were also shown off. Steve Jobs announced during the Apple keynote that there were a record-breaking 5,000 attendees at WWDC 2007.

Reminisce:

WWDC: Analysts mixed optimism at Apple futures

Image: Shazron/Flickr

When: 7 August

Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco

What was announced?

WWDC 2006 saw the launch of the Mac Pro, which replaced the Power Mac G5 as Apple’s professional desktop computer. Developers got their first look at Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard during the conference, though the new operating system wouldn’t be available to Mac users until the following year. Time Machine was also revealed. 4,200 developers attended WWDC 2006 as the event’s popularity grew further.

When: 6 June

Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco

What was announced?

In 2005, Steve Jobs took to the stage to reveal to the conference’s 3,800 attendees that, going forward, Apple would be partnering with Intel.