Hello Developer: February 2024
February 8, 2024
Welcome to the first Hello Developer of the spatial computing era. In this edition: Join us to celebrate International Women’s Day all over the world, find out how the Fantastical team brought their app to life on Apple Vision Pro, get UX writing advice straight from Apple experts, and catch up on the latest news and documentation.
FEATURED
Join us for International Women's Day celebrations
This March, we’re honoring International Women’s Day with developer activities all over the world. Celebrate and elevate women in app development through a variety of sessions, panels, and performances.
FEATURED
“The best version we’ve ever made”: Fantastical comes to Apple Vision Pro
The best-in-class calendar app Fantastical has 11 years of history, a shelf full of awards, and plenty of well-organized fans on iPad, iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch. Yet Fantastical’s Michael Simmons says the app on Apple Vision Pro is “the best version we’ve ever made.” Find out what Simmons learned while building for visionOS — and what advice he’d give fellow developers bringing their apps to Apple Vision Pro.
“The best version we’ve ever made”: Fantastical comes to Apple Vision Pro
View nowQ&A
Get advice from the Apple UX writing team
Writing is fundamental — especially in your apps and games, where the right words can have a profound impact on your app’s experience. During WWDC23, the Apple UX writing team hosted a wide-ranging Q&A that covered everything from technical concepts to inspiring content to whether apps should have “character.”
Q&A with the Apple UX writing team
View nowNEWS
Download the Apple Developer app on visionOS
Apple Developer has come to Apple Vision Pro. Experience a whole new way to catch up on WWDC videos, browse news and features, and stay up to date on the latest Apple frameworks and technologies.
Download Apple Developer from the App Store
VIDEOS
Dive into Xcode Cloud, Apple Pay, and network selection
This month’s new videos cover a lot of ground. Learn how to connect your source repository with Xcode Cloud, find out how to get started with Apple Pay on the Web, and discover how your app can automatically select the best network for an optimal experience.
Connect your project to Xcode Cloud
Watch nowGet started with Apple Pay on the Web
Watch nowAdapt to changing network conditions
Watch nowBEHIND THE DESIGN
Rebooting an inventive puzzle game for visionOS
Bringing the mind-bending puzzler Blackbox to Apple Vision Pro presented Ryan McLeod with a challenge and an opportunity like nothing he'd experienced before. Find out how McLeod and team are making the Apple Design Award-winning game come to life on the infinite canvas. Then, catch up on our Apple Vision Pro developer interviews and Q&As with Apple experts.
Blackbox: Rebooting an inventive puzzle game for visionOS
View nowApple Vision Pro developer stories and Q&As
View nowMEET WITH APPLE EXPERTS
Sign up for developer activities
This month, you can learn to minimize churn and win back subscribers in an online session hosted by App Store experts, and meet with App Review to explore best practices for a smooth review process. You can also request to attend an in-person lab in Cork, Ireland, to help develop your alternative app marketplace on iOS in the European Union. View the full schedule of activities.
DOCUMENTATION
Explore and create with new and updated docs
- Track specific points in world space: In this new sample app, you’ll learn to use world anchors along with an ARKit session’s WorldTrackingProvider to create coherence and continuity in a 3D world.
- Explore over 400 newly localized SF symbols: Download the latest version of SF Symbols to browse the updates.
- Preview your app's interface in Xcode: Iterate designs quickly and preview your displays across Apple devices.
- Set up or add a Border Router to your Thread network: Configure a Border Router as a bridge between the Thread and Wi-Fi or Ethernet networks in a home.
View the full list of new resources.
Discover what’s new in the Human Interface Guidelines.
NEWS
Catch up on the latest updates
- Swift Student Challenge applications are open: Learn about past Challenge winners and get everything you need to create an awesome app playground.
- App Store Connect API 3.2: Manage your apps on the App Store for Apple Vision Pro and download new Sales and Trends install reports, including information about historical first annual installs.
- New StoreKit entitlement: If your app offers in-app purchases on the App Store for iPhone or iPad in the United States, you can include a link to your website to let people know of other ways to purchase your digital goods or services.
- New reports and sign-in options: You’ll soon be able to view over 50 new reports to help measure your apps’ performance. And you can take advantage of new flexibility when asking users to sign in to your app.
- App distribution in the European Union: We’re sharing some changes to iOS, Safari, and the App Store, impacting developers’ apps in the EU to comply with the Digital Markets Act.
- App Store Review Guideline update: Check out the latest changes to support updated policies and provide clarification.
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