∞ If you think WWDC wasn’t successful, you weren’t paying attention

Sometimes I think people just don’t pay attention. A major event like WWDC comes, Apple introduces some great products, and still some people think there is little innovation.

[ad#Google Adsense 300x250 in story]Just to recap, Apple announced Mac OS X Lion, iOS 5 and iCloud. The significance of these announcements are not only in their product categories, but also with the entirety of the announcements and how they fit together.

It’s true that Apple didn’t release any new hardware, but we knew Apple wasn’t going to release hardware back in March. That’s no surprise, so let’s look at the significance of the software.

Lion and iOS 5 each have some great features that set them apart from the competition or improve on what they’ve done before. One of the great things is how iCloud pulls everything together for you.

If you use an iOS 5 device and Mac OS X Lion with a free iCloud account, you will always have access to your information, no matter where you are or what device you want to access it from. That’s a huge step forward.

Documents, calendars, email, contacts, Keynote presentations, Numbers spreadsheets and of course, access to your purchased iTunes music. Could it be better? Absolutely. Is it a good start? Definitely.

Apple did a lot at WWDC, but one of the most important things was that they gave developers the roadmap for where they are headed (at least in the short term). That’s big for the end user because we are relying on those developers to make the apps that we use.

I spoke with countless developers last week and not one of them were disappointed with Apple’s announcements. Apple gave them hundreds of new APIs to work with to improve existing apps and to create new ones.

Developers spent the week hunkered down in sessions with Apple engineers learning about the new code. That’s what WWDC is all about — code, apps, APIs, and more code.

WWDC is not about Apple releasing new products for consumers to run out and buy. It’s about educating developers so they can make great products for consumers to buy.

That said, WWDC was a success.

http://www.theuniversalsteve.com Anonymous

I hope Apple makes the WWDC videos available to members of the developer program like in 2010. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s under the hood in iCloud.
http://mangochut.net/ mangochutney

I completely agree. All the cries you hear from people demanding new stuff, are a clear sign of ignorance concerning the reach of the announcements made.
http://www.informationworkshop.org Mark Hernandez

Philip Elmer-Dewitt posted a great example at Fortune of the sharp contrast between people who pay super-close attention and those who don’t. Check out “Two Ways To Slice Apple: Henry Blodget vs. Horace Dediu.” You’ll be amazed. You have to watch the short video imbedded there, and then you really must listen to Horace’s first 5by5 podcast. You’ll learn a lot.

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/06/08/two-ways-to-slice-apple-henry-blodget-vs-horace-dediu/

http://mangochut.net/ mangochutney

Lately Mr. Dewitt is taking closer look on the ongoings in Wall Street and the written outcome is pretty good. The AMB guys have bagged on him often and rightfully, but recently a lot of his articles have become pretty good.

Kudos to Mr. Dewitt.

And thanks for pointing that article out, Mark.

Anonymous

I think you’re being a little defensive Jim. I don’t read a lot of disappointment, and outside the echo chamber, even less. Most of my friends ask when the new iPhone is out. But they don’t equate it with WWDC because they’ve never heard of it, like 99% of all Apple iUsers.

Apple did a good job managing expectations for the likes of us – no one else gives a sh*t.