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TL;DR: A minimalistic, direct, and carefully arranged Apple get together with great attendees
Some days ago, I attended an Apple event in Berlin, which left me with a great feeling. The in-person session took place in a lovely area near the museum island, which I often visit but apparently didn't pay enough attention to. In particular, it was near, if not within, the Haupttelegraphenamt (Main Telegraph Office), and all I can say is... that sometimes we should slow down and be more perceptive.
It was easy to get in—door, elevator, and that was it. There were no control or extra rules this time. The vibe in the room was electric from the start, with developers, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts. Apple welcomed us with many familiar faces, including some from my first (remarkable) Apple Vision Pro Lab in Munich.
Details of the architecture and history of the building
The format was simple: an organic get-together followed by the speakers presentations, closing with a Q&A. The content was clear and a good synthesis of the things shown at WWDC (maybe slightly adapted to the local context). The table of contents was 6 + 1 split into ~3 presenters. It took about an hour to get through all these points
- Apple Intelligence
- App Intents
- Translation API (ML)
- Controls (Widgets)
- SF Symbols
- visionOS 2.0
- AppStore improvements
At the left, photo taken at the beginning of the presentation, showing the screen with the six logos representing the agenda. At the right, a screenshot of the visionOS simulator with the Living Room (Day) scenario, which I couldn't stop thinking about
First block
Opening with the first three points, it was clearly focused on "clearing up some of the misunderstandings" about the tech under discussion (it was pretty clear that they are familiar with the developers day-to-day challenges). There were several interesting observations, and I didn't expect them to relate to me directly. I got highly engaged in the possibilities of the new translation API, the way the Apple intelligence tools are clustered, and, finally, a confirmation on how clear it is (IMO) that the next wave of apps will not be just that, but extensions fitting in a bigger configurable pipeline (so take note and adopt App Intents).
Second block
Began from an interface-oriented point of view. It was a different starting point, but the goal was the same: to blur the lines between apps by allowing more user configuration while still following certain standards. Finishing with a good summary of visionOS 2.0.
+1 block
Then there was a shorter part of AppStore/StoreKit upgrades that grabbed the audience by storm, especially the Win-back and Deep linking features.
Q&A
People asked some hard questions (expected and welcomed) about European laws, Apple Intelligence support, and other significant issues. There were also many questions related to the new features in the App Store. It always surprises me how lively things get when money is involved.
The answers to all the questions were really honest and useful; there was no agenda or scripted speech, and it was as genuine as possible given the constraints. And that is appreciated.
I liked how the 6+1 approach focused on different aspects of a feature, starting with what it does, then its benefits, and finally technical details. The technical and Q&A parts were the highlights to me, and I would preserve them in future editions and even expand them.
Aside from the content, which is comparable to that on the developer portal, I found the format interesting. It felt more personal, like in the old days. It seems ideal for Apple to transmit locally, and even if I wonder whether this works the other way around (gathering input and gaining more structured feedback from developers), I can imagine an instance that falls between the Labs and this meetup approach.
Endnotes
By the end of the event, I felt a strong sense of connection. The response to my work on Accessibility and Spatial Computing was overwhelmingly positive. It was rewarding to interact with people who shared my enthusiasm for technology and creativity.
This Apple event in Berlin was more than just a networking opportunity; it was a vibrant gathering of innovators dedicated to advancing their products. The planning, format, content, and enthusiastic participation all contributed to an exceptional experience. If you ever have the chance to attend such an event, be sure to take part in it.
