WWDC attendees greeted with jackets featuring Apple Watch San Francisco font, Swift code

Attendees registering for Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference are being given a familiar jacket with a new flourish: text set in the company’s new internally created San Francisco font, along with a clever reference to Apple’s recently released Swift language.

The windbreaker-style swag jacket lacks an Apple logo, instead simply stating “WWDC 2015” on the front with a large “15” on the back, nearly identical to the jackets Apple gave attendees last year.
There are a couple differences, principally the use of the San Francisco font that alludes to the company’s new Apple Watch, which promises to get prime developer attention at the week-long conference.

 

WWDC attendees greeted with jackets

WWDC attendees greeted with jackets

WWDC attendees greeted with jackets

WWDC attendees greeted with jackets

WWDC attendees greeted with jackets

WWDC attendees greeted with jackets

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Apple’s new iOS 9 and the next 10.11 version of OS X will also adopt the new font as their system default, providing a freshened appearance that harmonizes the overall appearance of the company’s platforms.

While similar in style to the fog-resistant polyester-spandex jackets from WWDC 2014, this year’s jackets also sport invisible zippers for their front pockets (as opposed to the open pockets last year).

While the fleece-lined, albeit lightweight, jacket might seem out of season in California in the month of June, San Francisco is infamous for its June Gloom, where days may be sunny but as soon as the sun goes down the fog rolls in and temperatures can plunge below their lowest point from the calendar’s winter.

In another coy reference to its technology, Apple has outfitted its jackets with a garment tag that designates its size and comments that it was “Made in the USA” using code written in Swift, the new programing language introduced at last year’s event.

The tag reads: ‘let jacketSize = “Medium”‘ and “// Made in the USA,” following Swift’s conventions for assigning variables and adding code comments, in numbered lines and color coded text familiar to Apple’s Xcode developers.

A few attendees are already lined up outside the Moscone West convention center, ready to sleep on the sidewalk tonight in order to be among the first to grab seats. Registration staff noted that Keynote attendees should be able to get a good seat if they’re “in line by 5 am,” but added that this year Apple will make sure everyone in attendance will get a seat.

Those not at the conference will be able to watch the WWDC Keynote via a live feed starting at 10 AM PST, via the web or Apple T

Apple begins preparing Moscone Center for WWDC as first banners start to go up

With WWDC coming up next week, Apple has started preparing for the big day. Following the launch of the Apple TV channel for the keynote stream yesterday, the company has started decorating Moscone West with Apple logos and banners.

WWDC 2015 banner

As spotted by MacStories and followed up by images from our own Tom Maxwell, the first bits of a large Apple logo on one side of the building have already been put up. There’s not much more to see at the moment, but many more banners are expected to go up in the coming days. As in previous years, some of them will likely be covered to prevent news about upcoming announcements from getting out early.

Apple is expected to announce the next versions of its iOS and OS X software during the event.

WWDC 2015 banner

 

Why Wait for OS X 10.11? How to Use the San Francisco System Font on OS X Yosemite Now

OS X 10.11? How to Use the San Francisco System Font on OS X Yosemite Now

Apple is apparently planning on replacing Helvetica Neue, the current default system font in iOS and OS X, with the ‘San Francisco’ font used on Apple Watch, according to a new report from the well sourced 9to5mac. The font change to “San Francisco” will apparently arrive to OS X 10.11 and iOS 9, but if you don’t want to wait for the next version of Mac OS, you can modify your OS X Yosemite system font now to replace Helvetica Neue with San Francisco, and it looks a whole lot better than Comic Sans. Comic Sans joking aside, the San Francisco font actually looks pretty great, so if you’re up for a change or want an idea of what the next version of OS X may bring to the UI, here’s how you can get a sneak peak yourself.

Replacing the Helvetica Neue OS X Yosemite font with San Francisco is super easy to do and undo. You should probably backup your Mac before doing this, though it’s unlikely anything would go wrong in the process, it’s just good practice. Once you’re backed up, here are the simple steps to change the font on the Mac to San Francisco:

1. Download the SanFrancisco font pack from github (direct link here) and extract the zip file
2. From the OS X Finder, hit Command+Shift+G to bring about Go To Folder, and enter the following path:

~/Library/Fonts/

1. Drop the downloaded font files into ~/Library/Fonts/, then reboot the Mac for changes to take effect (you can also try to just log out and back in, but sometimes fonts will render weird gibberish if you don’t reboot)

When the Mac logs back in you’ll find the new San Francisco font from Apple Watch to be the default system-wide in OS X. Here’s a screenshot of what this looks like, via 9to5mac, click to enlarge:

Uninstalling the fonts is as simple as navigating back to ~/Library/Fonts/ and moving all the font files into a new folder, or moving them out of the ~/Library/Fonts/ folder in general, then rebooting again.

The thin Helvetica Neue font currently used in OS X and iOS has been somewhat controversial, some users find the font to be difficult to read, particularly on non-retina displays. Apple later added a ‘bold fonts’ option to iOS which improved readability for those users, but such a feature remains missing in OS X Accessibility options.

Prior to OS X Yosemite, OS X used Lucida Grande as the system font, which can also be used to replace the Helvetica Neue system font in Yosemite if desired (changing to Lucida Grande is my personal preference for system font on the Mac).

For those on the iOS side of things, you’ll have to wait until iOS 9 comes out to use the San Francisco font, as there is no way to change system fonts on iPhone or iPad. Here’s a sneak peak of what that could look like on iPhone, courtesy of 9to5mac:

It’s worth pointing out that 9to5mac mentions the system font change to ‘San Francisco’ face in OS X 10.11 and iOS 9 could always be canceled or pushed back, so you may want to hang onto these alternate font files just in case you want to use them again in the future.

WWDC 2015 Starts June 8, New Versions of iOS & OS X Expected

Apple has announced their annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will take place June 8 through June 12 in San Francisco, California. Though WWDC is a developer centric conference, Apple typically unveils new versions of iOS and OS X on the first day of the event, making it notable for regular Apple product users as well. The assumption is that a successor to OS X Yosemite versioned as 10.11 will be unveiled alongside iOS 9. Occasionally, Apple also unveils new products at WWDC as well, and there is ongoing speculation that a new Apple TV with an App Store could arrive during the event.

Tickets to attend WWDC 2015 are $1599 and require applying to be randomly selected to purchase and attend the event. Scholarships are also available.

WWDC 2015 Starts June 8, New Versions of iOS & OS X Expected

Those interested in learning about about WWDC can find added details on the official Apple website

The official press release from Apple promoting the event is found below:

“CUPERTINO, California—April 14, 2015—Apple® today announced that it will hold its 26th annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) June 8 through June 12 at San Francisco’s Moscone West, with more sessions than ever before streamed to developers. At WWDC, Apple’s renowned developer community will come together to learn about the future of iOS and OS X®, helping them continue to create the most innovative apps in the world. WWDC will feature more than 100 technical sessions, over 1,000 Apple engineers, hands-on labs to help developers integrate new technologies and fine tune their apps, as well as the Apple Design Awards which showcase the best new apps in the last year.

“The App Store ignited an app ecosystem that is simply amazing, forever changing the lives of customers and creating millions of jobs worldwide,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “We’ve got incredible new technologies for iOS and OS X to share with developers at WWDC and around the world, and can’t wait to see the next generation of apps they create.”

Developers can apply for tickets via the WWDC website (developer.apple.com/wwdc/tickets) now through Friday, April 17 at 10 a.m. PDT. Tickets will be issued to attendees through a random selection process, and developers will know the status of their application by Monday, April 20 at 5 p.m. PDT. There will also be up to 350 WWDC Scholarships available, giving students and members of participating STEM organizations around the world the chance to earn a free ticket (developer.apple.com/wwdc/scholarships).
WWDC 2015 activities include:
• more than 100 technical sessions presented by Apple engineers on a wide range of topics for developing, deploying and integrating the latest iOS and OS X technologies;
• over 1,000 Apple engineers supporting more than 100 hands-on labs and events to provide developers with code-level assistance, insight into optimal development techniques and guidance on how they can make the most of iOS and OS X technologies in their apps;
• access to the latest innovations, features and capabilities of iOS and OS X, and best practices for enhancing an app’s functionality, performance, quality and design;
• the opportunity to connect with thousands of fellow iOS and OS X developers from around the world—last year more than 60 countries were represented;
• a series of get togethers for attendees focused on particular topics with special guest speakers and activities;
• engaging and inspirational lunchtime sessions with leading minds and influencers from the worlds of technology, science and entertainment; and
• Apple Design Awards which recognize iPhone®, iPad®, Apple Watch™ and Mac® apps that demonstrate technical excellence, innovation and outstanding design.
Select Worldwide Developers Conference sessions will be live streamed throughout the week via the WWDC website (developer.apple.com/wwdc/videos) and the WWDC app, giving more developers around the world access to the latest information in real time. Videos from all technical sessions will also be available by the end of each day.
Visit the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2015 website (developer.apple.com/wwdc) to apply for a ticket, as well as for updates and more information.
Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.”

Apple posts OS X 10.10 Yosemite highlight reel to YouTube

Apple on Monday posted to YouTube a promotional video showing off the graphical changes OS X 10.10 Yosemite will deliver when the operating system launches this fall.

Apple posts OS X 10.10 Yosemite highlight reel to YouTube

Titled “The New Look of OS X Yosemite,” the short minute-long clip highlights a few major changes made to Apple’s upcoming OS, including flatter iconography, retooled system text and transparencies. Apple CEO Tim Cook first presented the clip at the Worldwide Developers Conference keynote last week.

The clip starts out with Yosemite’s new “traffic light” window buttons, which are now devoid of skeuomorphic shading. Aside from the graphics tweak, the familiar green button previously assigned to enlarge Finder windows is now a toggle for full-screen viewing.

Yosemite’s new dock is also featured, with a run-through of icon changes made to Apple’s standard apps like Safari, Mail, Calendar, Notes and more. A few select apps are shown off in detail, including Mail, Messages and Calendar, each featuring extensive use of transparencies that Apple says adds depth to the desktop OS.

Apple begins putting up a banner for the next OS X, which looks like Yosemite national park in California.

Apple begins putting up a banner for the next OS X, which looks like Yosemite national park in California.

Apple begins putting up a banner for the next OS X, which looks like Yosemite national park in California.

Apple begins putting up a banner for the next OS X, which looks like Yosemite national park in California.

 

 

WWDC 2014

WWDC 2014 Roundup: Enhanced iOS 8, redesigned OS X 10.10, new hardware (plus fresh details)

 

Apple’s WWDC 2014 kicks off June 2, tickets to be issued by random selection April 7

Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, where the company traditionally unveils the next generation of its iOS mobile operating system, will kick off on June 2 this year, with randomly selected attendees set to be announced next week.

Apple’s WWDC 2014 kicks off June 2, tickets to be issued by random selection April 7

Developers can register for WWDC, which will be held as usual at Moscone West, starting today, through next Monday, April 7 at 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern. They will be issued through random selection that same day, and developers will be notified of their status by 5 p.m. Pacific, 8 p.m. Eastern.

“We have the most amazing developer community in the world and have a great week planned for them,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Every year the WWDC audience becomes more diverse, with developers from almost every discipline you can imagine and coming from every corner of the globe. We look forward to sharing with them our latest advances in iOS and OS X so they can create the next generation of great apps.”

Registration is now available at developer.apple.com/wwdc/.

Apple also announced that 200 student scholarships will be available, giving students around the world the chance to earn a free ticket. In addition, this year the National Center for Women & Information Technology and its alliance partners will help promote scholarships to female engineers and coders.

Events scheduled for WWDC 2014 include:

• More than 100 technical sessions presented by Apple engineers on a wide range of topics for developing, deploying and integrating the latest iOS and OS X technologies;
• more than 1,000 Apple engineers supporting over 100 hands-on labs and events to provide developers with code-level assistance, insight into optimal development techniques and guidance on how they can make the most of iOS and OS X technologies in their apps;
• the latest innovations, features and capabilities of iOS and OS X, and how to enhance an app’s functionality, performance, quality and design;
• the opportunity to connect with thousands of fellow iOS and OS X developers from around the world—last year more than 60 countries were represented;
• a new series of get togethers for attendees focused on particular topics with special guest speakers and activities;
• engaging and inspirational lunchtime sessions with leading minds and influencers from the worlds of technology, science and entertainment; and
• Apple Design Awards which recognize iPhone, iPad and Mac apps that demonstrate technical excellence, innovation and outstanding design.

Apple also announced that the June 2 State of the Union session and the Apple Design Awards will be live streamed via the WWDC website, allowing developers from around the world access to the latest information in real time. Videos from all technical sessions will be posted throughout the week on the Apple Developer website and will be available to all registered developers.

iWork for iCloud beta now available – Developer

iWork for iCloud lets you create beautiful documents, spreadsheets, and presentations using Pages, Numbers, and Keynote in your browser on a Mac or PC.

iWork for iCloud beta now available.

As a Registered Apple Developer, you can be one of the first to use the beta of iWork for iCloud. To get started, simply go to beta.icloud.com with the latest version of Safari, Chrome, or Internet Explorer and sign in with the Apple ID associated with your Registered Apple Developer account.

Please note that these web apps are in beta and it’s important that you regularly maintain a local backup of your documents.

Online polls find many prefer iOS 7 icons over iOS 6

After Apple unveiled the new look of its iOS 7 mobile operating system earlier this month, many in the design world criticized the platform. But a series of online polls this week show many users like the icons featured in the upcoming operating system more than those in iOS 6.

A series of polls on Polar show many users prefer most of the icons found on Apple’s upcoming iOS 7. (Polar / June 25, 2013)

The polling service Polar is hosting a series of polls comparing icons on iOS 6 with their iOS 7 counterparts. In most of the polls, users are choosing the new operating system, and when votes from all of the polls are added up together, more go for iOS 7.

Out of the 289,000 votes cast so far, 66% favor iOS 7 icons, according to Polar. In total, 26 icons are compared, and iOS 7 icons win in 20 of the polls.

PHOTOS: The hidden gems of iOS 7

In the case of the iTunes, Weather, Compass, Phone apps and a few others, iOS 7 wins in a landslide.

“What this might tell us is that the new icons are an improvement on the old,” said Luke Wroblewski, chief executive of Polar’s parent company, Input Factory Inc. “But that’s only when you are comparing icon to icon, not when you are looking at [or using] the complete operating system.”

The testing is only, at this point, on individual icons.

Apple doesn’t plan to release iOS 7 to the public until this fall. For now, only developers have access to a beta version of the new operating system, so Apple still has time to make changes.

Given the voting in the poll, Apple should probably look at changing the icons of the Game Center, Safari and Camera apps, all of which had more votes for their iOS 6 versions than iOS 7.