Apple has today updated its dedicated mobile app for its Worldwide Developers Conference, beginning on June 8. As in previous years, the app will provide attendees with access to information on upcoming sessions, news, venue maps and videos. But this year the app does something else, as well: It works on the Apple Watch.
Now sporting a purple app icon and theme instead of orange, the app doesn’t accidentally give away any details about forthcoming announcements by labeling sessions as “To Be Announced” or with other, funny titles like “It’s About Time,” “You’ll Be Talking About This One,” “Oh No We Didn’t,” “Shhhhhhhh!,” and more.
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Developers attending the event will be able to add their pass to Passbook for faster check-in, while those who won’t be there will be able to follow along by watching streaming video sessions from the app. These videos can also be downloaded for later viewing, and can be stopped on one device then picked up on another. (Currently, the app features videos from previous years, but this will change when WWDC 2015 kicks off.)
Perhaps most notable is that the app has now been extended to Apple Watch. The Watch app actually looks fairly useful, as it allows you to get information on sessions, labs and your own labeled favorites right from your wrist. You’ll be able to see when and where various events are taking place, as well as quickly find out where you’re supposed to be heading to next, thanks to the included “Glance.” (See screenshots below.)
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Apple Watch will also be a big topic at this year’s event, the WWDC app indicates, as “WatchOS” is listed as a platform category in the newly updated app.
Also new in the 3.0 version of the app is the ability to add sessions to your calendar, listen to session audio after you’ve left the app or locked your device, and give feedback on session videos from within the Video tab.
Apple’s 26th annual WWDC will feature over 100 technical sessions this year, presented by Apple engineers, as well as a number of hands-on labs. We’re also expecting to see new versions of the iOS and OS X operating system, Apple’s music streaming service, and maybe a new Apple TV, among other things.
Alongside the release of the WWDC app, Apple also today began sending out media invites to those journalists attending WWDC. The invites state that this year’s keynote will take place on Monday, June 8 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. PT.