There's going to be a lot written about all the new software features announced at WWDC today. I know, because I'll be doing a lot of that writing along with so many others.
But for my first impression, "hot-take" on WWDC, the thing I'm struck by most isn't any one feature or software upgrade. It's how Apple differentiates itself by thinking about people before products.
We expected a lot more talk about services at WWDC. We got very little.
We expected to see iMessages go cross-platform. It didn't.
There was no hardware, no new services... in fact- by my tracking- there was NOTHING new announced today that will make any revenue for the company (save for Apple Music and News; but they aren't new).
What there was, was a clear demonstration that Apple, more than anyone else in the tech industry, is thinking about users. About how we use the devices they make. About how they can make our lives easier, better, more fulfilling, more engaging.
I understand now why Phil Schiller wanted the App Store news out of this cycle. That's about business. And today- by my account- was about us. About people.
About how we connect and how to make it more fun. About how our devices can learn to better serve us without compromising our privacy. About the future of programing and coding for the whole world.
Today, I saw the Apple I love at it's best. I have no doubt that this fall we'll see some great new hardware for running these redefined platforms. But Apple- as Steve would say- is about the intersection of technology and art. About how technology makes our lives better. And what makes Apple unique has always been the way they can take beautiful hardware but put upon it a platform that makes it more personal, more useful, and more friendly than anyone.
Everything they showed today was born of that guiding light.
Every company has profit margins. Not every company has values. Today, Apple showed us just how good they are at both.
Only Apple.
