By Clemi Hardie, Managing Director at Noodle Live

As always, rumours were rife before this yearā€™s Apple worldwide developers conference. Generally speaking, the company uses the keynote at the event to announce major updates and changes to their operating systems that will impact app developers and tech nerds around the world. This year, however, there were some major drop-jaw moments that nobody saw coming, including the unexpected reveal of a new piece of hardware in the shape of the new Mac Pro.Ā 

As event app developers, the team atĀ Noodle Live follow the news from the conference closely. Here are the announcements that we think could have an impact on live events:Ā 

iOS 13 is on the wayĀ 

As always, Apple released their new version of iOS ā€“ iOS 13. Amongst the updates, Apple have revealed that they will now offer an in-app option to ā€˜sign in with Appleā€™ by using your Apple ID in a similar vein to Facebookā€™s sign in offering. This will become available for developers to test this summer and will become a required option in every app that supports third-party sign-ins. 

Another interesting feature that will appear on iOS 13 is a new voice for Siri. Largely lost in the press, this announcement promised a more natural sounding Siri that is software-generated rather than using voice-clips from actors. This update is set to roll out across all Apple devices later this year. 

What does it mean for #EventProfs? 

Itā€™s impressive stuff. Siriā€™s new voice is spookily futuristic and signals a new era for AI talking programs whilst the sign-in with Apple update provides more control over our own data. Both are very clever updates that will improve the user-experience and security of Apple products. 

Ground breaking new tech for app developersĀ 

Apple is aiming to make app development easier than ever with added capabilities and a new development framework called SwiftUI. It provides an easy-to-understand declarative code to allow developers to create full-featured interfaces with smooth animations. The framework comes with several automatic functions including Dark Mode and Accesibility, which means a large part of the development job is already done for you. SwiftUI apps are readily compatible with iOS so developers can make native apps across all Apple platforms. 

Apple also announced updates to the RealityKit and Reality Composer which will make it easier to create powerful AR experiences. 

What does it mean for #EventProfs? 

Realistically, not that much. Most event app developers already have their own frame works that they use and are happy with, but it does mean that Apple are paying attention to the needs of developers and helping people to get started with new apps, which is good news for the industry as a whole and for opening up the playfield to newcomers.   

Apple Watch is getting more usefulĀ 

Apple Watch will now allow you to download apps directly and to stream audio directly from your watch, making it a lot less reliant on an iPhone or iPad to operate. There will also be a greater focus on health and fitness on the watch, with better activity tracking. 

What does it mean for #EventProfs? 

Itā€™s awesome news for busy #EventProfs on-the-go at live events. The watch is finally starting to come into its own. You can download apps on-the-go, use them independently of an iPhone, record voice memos and listen back to them and keep an eye on your health and wellbeing at the same time. Perfect if you need to keep hands-free whilst staying connected. 

New operating system for iPad

No longer simply an iPhone for giants, the iPad is becoming more of a separate entity with its own operating system. You will also be able to connect USB and SD cards directly to your iPad and look at several apps on screen at the same time. This makes it much more similar to a mini-computer than a tablet. 

What does it mean for #EventProfs? 

iPadā€™s are often an essential piece of kit in event tech packages. At Noodle Live we use them all the time, so the fact that they are about to get more powerful and independent is welcome. Weā€™ve got a few ideas as to how to respond to the changes and weā€™ll be having some development meetings soon.  

The most powerful Mac ever created

In an unusual move for Apple, a new piece of hardware was revealed at WWDC this year ā€“ the new Mac Pro with 1.5 terabytes of memory and a 6k display. Itā€™s a huge and powerful piece of equipment, and the price tag matches at just under $6k. 

What does it mean for #EventProfs? 

This is a beast of a machine. Itā€™s seriously powerful and could effectively allow you to make and edit high-quality movies, all from one laptop. This could mean easier access to high-quality editing, graphics and film. A great boost for event entertainment and for bringing more capabilities in-house. 

Goodbye iTunes

A lot of people saw this one coming, but itā€™s still a major shift for Apple. After 18 years, there will be no more iTunes. Instead, the new macOS operating system allows users to stream 50 million songs from Apple Music, which will now be an app on the Mac. 

What does it mean for #EventProfs? 

A fond farewell that brings back memories of being 16 and having our minds blown by accessing any song we wanted, instantly. Goodbye Discman, hello the future. Strange to think we are on the other side of that and iTunes has now become obsolete. No major impact for the event industry, but a milestone none the less. 

Overall, thereā€™s a lot to be excited about from this yearā€™s conference. Apple are doing their best to make life easy for app developers and to offer them the best tools and technology, although a reduction in the number of copycat apps they produce would probably help improve developer confidence in investing in their apps.Ā Ā Ā 


Written by Clemi Hardie, Founder of Noodle live

Clemi is the founder of Noodle Live, creating bespoke event apps and technology packages for #EventProfs. Clemiā€™s background is in digital marketing and she has a passion for ā€˜hackā€™ thinking. 

She founded Noodle Live in 2013 after noticing a space for more efficient and intelligent tech to help events run smoothly. She has worked with brands including Fujitsu, Deloitte, Google and Jaguar Land Rover. 

Adam Parry
Author: Adam Parry

Adam is the co-founder and editor of www.eventindustrynews.com Adam, a technology evangelist also organises Event Tech Live, Europeā€™s only show dedicated to event technology and the Event Technology Awards. Both events take place in November, London.