If you have attended or watched the WWDC 2023, you will soon realize how much news there is to digest. Of course, not all updates are relevant to you. Thus, to make things easier, we are going to take a look at the most significant updates from WWDC 2023, particularly for app developers and marketers.
What is the WWDC 2023?
Every year, Apple holds its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC). It’s an annual event where Apple gathers together technology enthusiasts, engineers, and developers from around the world and learns about the latest updates and announcements about Apple’s products and services.
For the year 2023, WWDC happened from June 6 to June 9. WWDC 2023 included keynote presentations and the State of the Union. Aside from that, there’s the Apple Design Awards where Apple recognizes the best apps and games from the App Store.
There are sessions where Apple shares updates on Apple platforms to help developers discover new ways to innovate their apps and games. Aside from that, there are the Labs where you can get one-on-one guidance from Apple experts, designers, and engineers to improve your knowledge about new Apple technologies, how to improve your App Store ranking and design user interface, and so much more. Other activities during the WWDC 2023 include Q&As, forums, and Meet and Greet.
In the past, joining the WWDC cost about a thousand dollars. Now, Apple made the WWDC free for those who will attend online and even in person in Apple Park.
Key WWDC 2023 updates for app developers and marketers
Now, we get to the main topic of our discussion. While there are a lot of interesting updates Apple announced during the WWDC 2023, we want to focus more on the updates that directly affect app developers and marketers. So, here they are:
Privacy updates
One of the biggest concerns for both users and tech companies today is privacy. It’s a huge challenge for Apple to keep users’ privacy safe while still helping app developers track user behavior and obtain relevant data for app marketing and development. Here are the two important privacy updates you should know:
Privacy manifests
Apple announced new privacy manifests. Here’s what they said:
Source: Apple Developer
As you may already know, developers use third-party software development kits (SDKs) to add specific functionalities and services to their apps.
To ensure app developers understand how SDKs handle user data and follow privacy rules and regulations, Apple introduced the privacy manifests, which outline the privacy practices of each third-party SDK used within an app.
With the privacy manifests, Apple hopes that developers would have a better idea of how SDKs work and they can better create accurate and informative Privacy Nutrition Labels.
Fingerprinting
Apple made it a point that fingerprinting is banned in their platform. Fingerprinting is the practice of collecting user details about their device and browser and tracking them across different apps and websites without their explicit consent.
Apple announced the following:
Source: Apple Developer
While fingerprinting has long been banned, there are app developers who are still using this technique. As a way for Apple to strengthen its fingerprinting regulation, Apple now requires apps to include in their privacy manifest the allowed reason they are using an API. Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) were used by developers in the past to perform fingerprinting.
Apple Vision Pro
Source: Apple Developer
Apple made it a point that they won’t be left behind in the AR glass industry. During the WWDC 2023 conference, Apple caused great excitement among viewers as they unveiled the new VisionOS. It’s an OS specifically made for Apple’s AR glasses.
VisionOS has practical usage in various industries such as medicine, education, and of course, entertainment.
VisionOS opens new business opportunities for app developers on how they can unlock new markets, audiences, and sources of income.
As exciting as VisionOS sounds, the Apple Vision Pro will be available for the public in 2024. This should give you enough time to think about how you can improve your app or create an app with VisionOS in mind.
WatchOS 10
Source: Apple Developer
If your app is compatible with WatchOS, then Apple’s new update should excite you. For one, WatchOS 10 includes new Workout Views, metrics, and power meter Bluetooth connectivity.
Specifically, if your app uses HealthKit, you can now offer more accurate and reliable calorie measurements for golf workouts. In the past, it was difficult for WatchOS to determine whether the user is walking or simply riding the golf cart. With the new HealthKit update, WatchOS10 can now accurately distinguish the two types of movements.
Moreover, WatchOS can now track cycling speed, power, and pedaling frequency, which would surely improve apps using these features.
Swift
Source: Apple Developer
Swift is the programming language for all Apple platforms. Apple introduced macros that allow the use of intuitive APIs. With the recent updates announced in WWDC 2023, you can now directly interoperate both Swift and C++ codes.
Here are other Swift updates you should know:
- Enhanced builder compiler performance
- Expanded support for generics
- Quick JSON decoding and encoding
SwiftUI
Source: Apple Developer
Developers use SwiftUI to create user interfaces for apps and games. The latest improvements in SwiftUI allows users to interact better with widgets on their device. What’s interesting is that widgets can now run in StandBy, on Mac’s desktop, and on iPad’s Lock Screen.
The SwiftUI perfectly works with WidgetKit. WidgetKit enables widgets to have animated transitions and responsive colors and spacing based on where the widget appears.
SwiftData
Source: Apple Developer
SwiftData is a new addition to Apple’s developer tools. This framework is built to specifically manage data within your app. As a developer, you need to give SwiftData a try and see how it provides iCloud synchronization, undo/redo support, and relationship management, to name a few.
Xcode 15
Source: Apple Developer
Xcode, which is what app developers use to create, test, and distribute apps on Apple’s platforms, got its improvement as well. Apple released Xcode 15 to help developers be more efficient in designing apps through enhanced code completion, live animations, and interactive previews.
To give you an overview, here are some of the enhancements made by Apple to Xcode 15:
- GIT staging
- Redesigned test records with an option of video recording
- Seamlessly work with Xcode Cloud and TestFlight simultaneously
- Smaller Xcode 15 user interface
- Improved compiler and addition of a new linker
- New Bookmark Navigator
App Shortcuts
Source: Apple Developer
Another new feature that app developers and marketers can take advantage of are the App Shortcuts. App Shortcuts allow you to increase the surface area of your app. There’s no need for user setup and App Shortcuts automatically appear on iOS, WatchOS, Spotlight, Home Screen, and Siri.
Other updates
The WWDC 2023 announced a lot of updates during its four-day run. To give you an overview, here are other notable updates that you should know as an app marketer and developer:
- Metal – allows you to bring your gaming apps to Mac. Plus, Metal improves hardware-accelerated graphics on Apple Platforms, which leads to better graphic and compute integration, shading language, and overhead API.
- Machine learning – Apple also improves the Core ML, Create ML, and APIs’ machine learning capabilities. All these lead to faster model loading and image segmentation.
- SharePlay – the update made in SharePlay allows users to connect via Messages and FaceTime. The AirDrop also enables shared activities with any app that supports SharePlay.
- Maps – Apple creates MapKit to help users create Maps Snapshots. Aside from that, Maps can now easily integrate with other apps.
- In-app purchase – Apple added the new StoreKit Views, which help users and developers to have a more secured purchasing and selling experience.
- Notifications – a new feature is added to improve the delivery and performance tracking of notifications. The Push Notifications Console should help you access logs and tools.
There are more updates given during the WWDC 2023. However, what we have mentioned here so far are the most significant and important ones. If you wish to check the full list of updates, you can head to the “What’s new for Apple developers” page.
Cope with updates more effectively
WWDC 2023 is proof that change is constant even in the world of mobile apps. Those who efficiently cope with change would be the ones that would succeed. That’s why you need to make sure that you are always up to date and that you make necessary adjustments to your app.
Staying updated and keeping up with change can be challenging. Thankfully, you don’t have to do it on your own. ShyftUp is here for you to stay on top of your game and beat fierce competition.
ShyftUp is the leading user acquisition agency that will guide you in the ever-changing app store landscape. ShyftUp has the necessary expertise, tools, and experience to help you create effective marketing strategies that get sure and positive results.
