Introduction

I'm super_spa3 (Hirofumi Nakano), a product manager at KINTO Technologies Corporation.

I had the chance to attend our very first overseas conference: the WWDC24! Although it's been a little while since the event, I'd like to share my experience and some related updates here on the Tech Blog.

You might be wondering what a product manager has to do with iOS.

When I first started my career, I was actually assigned to iOS development (though I had been tinkering with Android as a hobby before that). Later, I joined my second company, KINTO Technologies, as an iOS engineer, and now I’m working as a product manager. At work, I often use App Store Connect to release apps, and I’m also a member of the Apple Developer Program, continuing to develop apps on my own.

One of the apps I'm currently involved in is called the KINTO Kantan Moushikomi App (KINTO Easy Application App), which allows users to seamlessly estimate costs and complete the screening process for the KINTO New Vehicle Subscription.

https://kinto-jp.com/entry_app/

How I Got to Attend WWDC24

Participation in WWDC is determined by a lottery system. Around March each year, Apple sends out notification emails to members registered in the Apple Developer Program.

Members can then click on the provided link to apply, and only those selected in the lottery get the chance to attend the event in person.

However, I had tried applying multiple times during my previous job but was never successful. So, when I applied this time, I didn't have high expectations and just pressed the apply button.

On the day of the lottery results, I opened my inbox and saw an email "Great News, Hirofumi!". As I read through the message, I realized I had actually been selected!

A clear sign of good news email

It turned out that I was the only one from our Mobile App Development Group who got selected. After getting approval from President Kotera, I was set to attend the WWDC24!

Eve of the Event at Apple Infinite Loop Campus

On the day before the main event, I visited Apple's former headquarters, Apple Infinite Loop One Campus, to collect event merchandise and my name badge. The entrance to Infinite Loop One is very minimalistic and stylish My name badge during the event displayed TOYOTA FINANCIAL SERVICE CORPORATION, where our apps are published.

The SWAG contents seem to change every year, and this year, it included a picnic mat. It's perfect now that travel is unrestricted post-COVID. How about some open-air coding? WWDC24 swag bag and additional pins I got from Apple Park The Apple Vision Pro badge is cool!

Once entered the venue, I saw everyone taking photos in front of the WWDC24 logo. Since the event was held in the courtyard, I decided to strike a pose like on TBS's Another Sky. The 3D WWDC24 board, I took a photo here afterwards! This is my Another Sky rendition, Apple Infinite Loop Campus! (lol)

With food and drinks in hand, I had the chance to interact with fellow developers working within the Apple ecosystem. Since I attended alone, I actively looked for someone to talk to. Whenever I saw an open seat I asked if I could sit next to them and started chatting about what we were developing, which led to great networking moments.

Main Event at Apple Park

The main event starts early in the morning. Check-in was scheduled for 7 a.m., but I heard that many people planned to arrive even earlier. So, I decided to get there well ahead of schedule and lined up before 7 a.m. at Apple Park Visitor Center, located next to the Apple Park, which houses an Apple Store, a café, a diorama, and a terrace. It seems that Japanese people are particularly good at early mornings because a sizable group of Japanese was already at the front of the line, eagerly waiting for the event to begin. As the clock approached 8 a.m., excitement built up, and the crowd spontaneously broke into chants of "dub-dub-dee-see!", hyping up the atmosphere (of course, I joined in with full enthusiasm!)

Then, at 8 o'clock, the gates opened. I rushed to the Keynote venue and managed to secure a seat in the sixth row from the front. It's so close!

I had free time from this point until 10 a.m., so I grabbed breakfast, explored Apple Park, and hopped on a Zoom call with my team members in Tokyo, who were staying up late to watch the Keynote live. Here is a tweet from that time:

https://twitter.com/ioco95/status/1800239213851574355

Since my seat was on the right side of the stage, I got a behind-the-scenes glimpse of Tim Cook and Craig Federighi as they prepared to go on stage. Craig's movements were incredibly acrobatic this year.

The highlight of this year's Keynote was Apple Intelligence. But personally, what caught my attention the most was the Math Notes feature, which allows handwritten equations to be instantly solved, and the Mac Virtual Display in visionOS 2, which transforms into an ultra-wide monitor view on Apple Vision Pro (even though I don't own an Apple Vision Pro yet.)

At lunch, Caffe Macs offered a variety of regional dishes on both sides of the dining area. Some people even lined up multiple times to try different meals.

In the afternoon, I watched the Platform State of the Union inside Apple Park.

Events at In-Person Labs and Exploring the Venue

And finally, it's time for the In-Person Labs. This time is for meeting Apple engineers and staff, who can answer questions and help troubleshoot challenges in different areas. Since I had pre-booked a session for the Design Labs, I headed up to the third-floor area.

At the Design Labs, I was able to hear direct feedback from Apple employees on the KINTO Kantan Moushikomi App, as well as what the designers saw as potential challenges. It's a rare opportunity to get feedback from Apple employees, so this session was incredibly valuable.

One lesson I learned from the Design Labs was the importance of ensuring that apps are accessible internationally by using TestFlight or other means. When I applied for the event, I included the App Store URL in the pre-registration form, assuming that Apple employees would be able to access it. However, since our app was Japan-only, they weren't able to check it in advance. As a result, I had to spend part of the limited time explaining the app and its challenges before I could ask my questions. (Something to keep in mind for anyone attending in the future!)

After the Design Labs session, I walked around several areas to get answers to the questions I had from our in-house engineers. In between sessions, I also took some time to explore Apple Park (both the courtyard and inside the buildings). There were a lot of people who looked like they wanted a photo, so I offered, "Would you like me to take a picture for you?" and naturally ended up making new friends.

Attending the OMT Conference

Actually, the on-site WWDC event only takes place for three days—Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. While sessions run from Monday to Friday, the on-site event doesn't extend.

So, I also attended the One More Thing (OMT) Conference held at a hotel near Cupertino, where Apple Park is located, from Tuesday to Friday. A lineup of familiar sponsors I got badges here, too. It says Pro Ticket, but it's actually a free ticket

OMT Conference was divided into speaker sessions (Main Room) and consultation sessions (Big & Small Tents) where attendees could discuss various topics with experts.

We could listen to talks from different speakers or discuss specific topics with experts.

In addition, on Thursday afternoon, there was a workshop by Paul Hudson. Originally, it was planned to focus on SwiftData, but since there weren't many updates in WWDC24, he adapted the content and led a three-hour workshop on "What's New in SwiftUI" instead. I often check out Hacking with Swift, but this was my first time attending one of Paul's workshops in person. I was impressed by how amazing he is as a teacher and how quickly he answered questions.

Attending Swift Social 2024 and Core Coffee

In addition to attending WWDC and OMT conference, I also joined two community events.

The first was Swift Social 2024. This event was organized by the Swift community and rented out a bar in downtown San Jose to celebrate Swift's 10th anniversary. *Happy 10th Anniversary! * Stylish SWIFT logo sign

During the event, participants competed in a Swift-related quiz using Kahoot, racing to answer as quickly as possible. The top scorers won exclusive Swift merchandise as prizes. I made it pretty far, but alas!

The second was Core Coffee. This gathering took place every day during the WWDC week at different locations, and the session I joined was held on the rooftop terrace of
Apple Park Visitor Center, right next to Apple Park. Perhaps due to its proximity, a few Apple employees also joined.

Discussions naturally centered around the topics announced at WWDC24, sharing their thoughts and interests. One particularly lively debate was about how a color tint on the home screen might affect. I also had the chance to hear about the work styles of Apple employees and the products they are involved in, which made me feel even more engaging.

Establishing Standards For Attending Overseas Conferences

After I attended WWDC, several other conferences took place on the U.S. West Coast, and more members from our company began participating in overseas events as well.

We are also working on establishing internal guidelines for attending international conferences.

These global events offer valuable inspiration, and bringing it back home helps boost both individual and team motivation.

Conclusion

Attending WWDC for the first time was a long-awaited experience. It reignited my passion for development and game me the opportunity to build new connections.

Everyone at WWDC is involved in developing something within the Apple ecosystem, and through conversations, I learned about the apps they were building, their roles, and the challenges they face in development. (Of course it was't just developers, there were also product managers and other contributors to the ecosystem.)

It was incredibly inspiring that I also met several attendees whose primary job was not app development, but who were passionate about building apps as a hobby.

I also had the chance to connect with developers from Japan, and some of those I spoke with during the event became familiar faces after returning home.

If you're involved in product development for the Apple ecosystem, I highly recommend attending WWDC. Connecting with developers from around the world is truly exciting!