Top 10 Mac Moments in WWDC History

For those dedicated to Apple and Mac, WWDC is the event to watch. Even more so than the annual fall event, the WWDC keynote is where Apple typically makes major announcements that affect developers, users, and the industry. The WWDC keynote showcases upcoming versions of macOS, and Apple often reveals major Mac hardware developments that go hand-in-hand with the latest software features.

The WWDC as we know it began in 1990; in previous years, it was a smaller event called DevCon or Apple World. With WWDC 2022 just days away, we thought we’d run through the top Mac moments in WWDC keynote history (listed in chronological order, except the last one, and you’ll see why). In general, there is a theme at the moment: change is inevitable.

WWDC 1997: Steve Jobs returns, origins of OS X

The 1997 WWDC keynote was not the highly produced presentation that Apple is known for. This was a question and answer session between Jobs and the developer audience, and Jobs is quite frank with his thoughts. At one point, he says, “Apple suffered for years from lousy engineering management” and “Focus is saying no.” He discussed his vision for cloud computing, the “holy war” with Microsoft, and prioritizing customer needs over technological wizardry. Near the end of the talk, Jobs even pontificates on a technological implementation that could be interpreted as his vision of his iPhone.

It was an important moment. When Apple bought Next Computer in December 1996 and Steve Jobs returned to Apple, Apple decided to use Next’s technology as the core of the next Mac operating system. It was a decision that caused a lot of tension in the developer community. Much of the work that developers put into previous plans for the Mac operating system was basically useless. And with the Mac’s market share shrinking year after year, there were questions about whether the market was viable enough to withstand technological change.

This keynote is a fascinating watch, especially with hindsight we now have. If you are only vaguely familiar with Jobs and his role at Apple, it will help you understand why he is so revered.

WWDC 2002: Mac OS 9 RIPs

With the introduction of OS X, Apple decided to end development of the “classic” Mac OS (the version before OS X). Steve Jobs marked the occasion by praising Mac OS 9 during his keynote address. I actually find it a bit embarrassing now, but it was all in jest and a reminder that Apple always looks forward and doesn’t waste time on past technology.

WWDC 2003: The promise of 3GHz

Some of the entries on this list are full keynotes, others are large sections of keynotes. But 2003 is really a memorable moment in a WWDC keynote. In 2003, Steve Jobs revealed the Power Mac G5, which used a PowerPC G5 processor, and towards the end, he claims that this Mac will have a 3 GHz CPU within a year. It didn’t happen, which brings us to the next memorable key moment of WWDC.

WWDC 2005: Intel transition begins

At the time of WWDC 2005, 3 GHz was the holy grail for CPU speed, and the Mac’s PowerPC chips couldn’t get there. Apple hit a ceiling, making the switch from PowerPC chips to Intel silicon a critical move for the future of the Mac.

Apple understood that this change would be historic in one of two ways: a successful business decision that could become a standard for how it’s done, or a choice that was executed so poorly that it practically killed the Mac. The company had to find a way. way to build a bridge between the PowerPC implementation and the new Intel-based Macs. No other platform had done such an important task, and this would be a first in the industry. Everyone would be watching.

In the keynote address, Steve Jobs takes time to explain why the change was needed and how it will happen. Paul Otellini, who was the CEO of Intel, talks about Apple and the Intel relationship, even poking fun at an Apple commercial that makes fun of the famous Intel bunny. The keynote helped reassure Mac users and developers that Apple had a plan, and it turned out that the plan worked so well that a similar plan was used for the next transition 15 years later.

WWDC 2020: The transition to Apple silicon begins

Apple’s current Mac renaissance began years ago and was formally announced during the WWDC 2022 keynote. The company would spend the next two years replacing the Intel chips in the Mac with its own silicon. At the time, it was clear that the CISC-based technology used in Intel chips was about to hit a performance wall unless drastic changes were made. Apple had success with its own A-series processors in the iPhone and iPad, so it made sense to make its ARM-based chips work for the Mac.

It was an equally exciting and worrying announcement. It was exciting to think that the Mac, which was stuck in a rut, could find a new life. But there were real concerns about Apple getting it right. Two years later, the Mac is reaching new heights that were previously only imaginable.

WWDC 2021: universal control

WWDC 2020 featured the first pre-recorded keynote address with a fully virtual audience, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. WWDC 2021 did the same as the pandemic was still raging. While the energy of a live event is missing, it has been replaced by a flood of new features for each operating system, one after another at a breakneck pace.

At the 2021 keynote, after an overwhelming 81 minutes of announcements for iOS, AirPods, iPadOS, privacy, iCloud, health, watchOS, and home, Apple took a deep breath to demonstrate Universal Control, a new feature in macOS Monterey that lets you use a Mac. to control an iPad or another Mac. It was such a cool demo that people watched it over and over again until the feature finally arrived eight months later.

WWDC 2006, 2013, 2019 (and maybe 2022): Mac Pro

The Mac Pro is of particular interest to developers, who need power to create software. That’s why the company is striving to present its most powerful Mac at WWDC. Apple has unveiled three different Mac Pros at WWDC, and it seems appropriate to collect them all as one “moment.”

Yet each revelation is significant in its own right. 2006 was the first Mac Pro, an Intel-based tower that replaced the Power Mac G5. It had an aluminum “cheese grater” design that became iconic but was eventually replaced by a less than ideal “garbage can” design in 2013. Apple finally acknowledged the flaws of the 2013 Mac Pro and in 2019, released a new Mac Pro in a modern aluminum tower design reminiscent of a cheese grater.

The Mac Pro is yet to receive another monumental update, and it’s expected to be revealed at this year’s WWDC. It’s one of the last Macs to get an upgrade to Apple’s silicon, and users are excited about the potential of Apple’s top-of-the-line Mac. It will surely be a key commemorative moment of the WWDC.