WWDC 2011
I just registered for WWDC 2011. Here’s what to expect:
- 5 days
- definitely bring your MacBook and iOS device(s)
- use SubEthaEdit for taking notes (using Google Docs might be ok this year)
- we’re still waiting for the white iPhone 4, which is supposed to appear in Spring 2011
- WWDC 2010 sold out in 8 days
In case you didn’t already hear, WWDC 2011 sold out in about 8 hours (reports vary from 6-10).
Don’t scalp tickets: “You should only purchase tickets on behalf of other individuals that are employees, contractors, or consultants of the same legal entity as your development team.” – Apple’s WWDC 2011 FAQ
Attendance (Requirements)
By purchasing a WWDC ticket and attending WWDC, you understand and agree that:
- You will be required to present your passport or other government-issued photo identification before being admitted to WWDC. Please make sure you bring your identification with you, as you will not be admitted without it.
- You must be 18 or older in order to attend WWDC.
- You must wear your WWDC badge at all times to receive admittance to WWDC. Replacement badges will not be issued.
- All presentations at WWDC will be in English.
- Photographs and/or video taken at WWDC by Apple, or others on behalf of Apple, may include your image or likeness. You agree that Apple may use such photographs and/or videotape for any purpose without compensation to you.
- With the exception of the WWDC Keynote Session, all information presented or provided to you by Apple during WWDC is considered Apple Confidential Information and is subject to the Registered Apple Developer Agreement (PDF).
- Apple reserves the right to refuse admittance to or remove any person from WWDC at any time in its sole discretion, including but not limited to attendees behaving in a disorderly manner or failing to comply with the terms and conditions herein.
Predictions and rumors (not at all guaranteed!)
- no new hardware; it’ll be a software-focused event [macrumors]
- but iPhone 3G, 3GS, and 4 were announced at WWDC 2008, 2009, and 2010
- expected to sell out quickly given past years’ trends (has now sold out for several years in a row); Apple will hold over 100 technical sessions for developers, with over 1,000 Apple engineers on hand to provide support for attendees [macrumors]
28 Mar: WWDC 2011 announced [press release]
WWDC First Timer’s Survival Guide, 2011 Edition
It may be worthwhile to watch a couple of relevant videos from WWDC 2010
WWDC 2011 will be held from June 6-10 at Moscone West, San Francisco, CA
From the FAQ
Whom can I contact if I have questions?
If you have any questions about the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference that are not addressed in our Frequently Asked Questions section, you can contact Developer Support.
Transportation
Public transportation is a great way to get to Moscone West. The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART ) and MUNI provide light rail service with stations only 2 blocks from Moscone West. Caltrain offers frequent stops at the 4th & King Station (approximately 1 mile from Moscone West). For more information on BART, MUNI, and CalTrain, as well as information on weather, traffic conditions, and parking, visit 511.orgor call TravInfo at (415) 817-1717.
Parking
If you plan on driving to Moscone West, you can find the nearest parking garage from the Moscone Center website.
Lodging
Moscone West is within walking distance from Union Square, SOMA, Downtown, The Financial District, Civic Center, and is easily accessible by public transportation from Fisherman’s Wharf, North Beach and Nob Hill.
For your convenience, discounted rates have been negotiated at select hotels in San Francisco for WWDC. More information about how you can take advantage of these special rates will available on the WWDC website soon.
Moscone West
826 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 974-1699
I’m kind of curious. What’s the benefit of attending a WWDC event? Is it mostly to meet other developers? From my understanding, Apple releases all the iOS docs publicly shortly after each WWDC event.
$1500 seems awful pricey just to hear the event a few hours in advance.
Excellent question. While meeting other developers is great, the real value of WWDC comes from working directly with the Apple engineers who coded the frameworks we use every day. There will be over 1,000 Apple engineers at the conference; Apple says the ratio of Apple engineers to conference attendees is about 1:4.
At WWDC 2009, I spent hours with the engineer who made Bonjour (Rendezvous/Zeroconf) for iPhone. He also wrote the example code that I’d been struggling to understand for about 7 months before I met him.
At WWDC 2010, I worked with a couple Apple engineers to fix some issues with external display support in Whiteboard: Collaborative Drawing.
Another developer wrote: “The primary reason I go is to talk and spend time with the engineers. Throughout the rest of the year I can spend hours and weeks of hours researching/troubleshooting/etc. issues, even talking to tier 2 Applecare, and all (at times) to no avail. Then you go to WWDC and talk to the guys who actually wrote the code for the part of the OS you’re troubleshooting, or actually designed the Airport Extremes, etc. and you get your answer in minutes. Being able to accomplish in a couple afternoons with Apple engineers has equalled what me and others on my team can spend weeks trying to figure out. That’s what makes the whole trip worth it.”
the survival guide is great! thanks
Hi,
I am attending WWDC for the first time. I am picking up my badge on Sunday, but I was wondering if I need to line up outside early to get into the Moscone Center on any day besides the Keynote, or if Monday is the only long line day.
How early should I anticipate being there everyday, and how long are the lines?
Thanks!
Hi katie,
Glad to hear you’ll be at WWDC!
In my 2 years of experience, Monday has been the only long line day.
Very rarely, there can be popular sessions that get full– standing room only– but you generally don’t need to line up more than 15 minutes early, if at all. The keynote is the only part of the Conference that is public information. Everything else is considered Apple Confidential. The media and news channels will cover the keynote extensively, but most of them aren’t allowed participate in the rest of WWDC. Not that it matters; it’s all technical stuff that they wouldn’t be interested in anyway.
The keynote line shouldn’t be underestimated. By the time they start letting people in the door, it will probably wrap around the entire block, maybe even multiple times. It’ll be LOOOOOONG.
But that’s the only one. Each day after that, you can arrive just in time for the session you want to attend.