Apple Has to Fix Small Business Program Pricing: Hudson

Key Concepts:

• AI-driven generation (code, text, images, sound)
• Third-party developer access to Apple's internal APIs and labs
• App Intents framework
• SwiftUI framework
• WWDC networking and labs
• Apple's small business program (revenue tiers)
• Craig Federighi's role in software development

1. AI and Generative Capabilities

• The central question is whether WWDC will reveal significant advancements in AI-driven generation of code, text, images, and sound, both on-device and in the cloud.
• The speaker anticipates that Apple will open up access to its internal workings and APIs to third-party developers.

2. Developer Access and APIs

• Apple typically develops APIs internally before releasing them to developers. The hope is that WWDC will mark the point where developers gain access to new capabilities.
• Last year's writing tools (summarization, bullet points) were limited to UI-based actions. The expectation is that developers will gain programmatic access to these features, creating a "force multiplier" for app functionality across iOS and macOS.
• The speaker highlights the importance of Apple sharing its work and successes with developers.

3. App Intents Framework

• The launch of Apple Intelligence last year was the first step, requiring app developers to expose their logic, data, and functionality to the system.
• Apple introduced the App Intents framework for this purpose, and thousands of developers are now using it. The hope is that Apple will provide more data and support to accelerate the development of great apps using App Intents.

4. WWDC Networking and Labs

• WWDC provides networking opportunities for developers to connect with peers and Apple engineers.
• Apple's "indie developer heroes" and teams from popular apps are present.
• In-person labs with Apple engineers (SwiftUI, data, Metal teams) run in parallel with WWDC. These labs allow developers to ask questions and receive direct feedback.
• Online labs are also available via WebEx. New this year are group labs, where multiple developers can ask questions and learn from each other.

5. Developer Frustrations: Revenue Tiers

• The biggest frustration is the structure of Apple's small business program.
• Developers earning less than $1,000,000 pay a 15% commission to Apple, covering support, APIs, credit card access, and downloads.
• However, if a developer earns $1,000,001, the commission jumps to 30%, and this applies retroactively to the entire million earned, not just the additional dollar. This disincentivizes growth.
• The speaker hopes that Apple will address this issue.

6. SwiftUI and Cross-Platform Development

• The speaker anticipates interface changes that hint at Apple's future direction.
• Apple's push towards the SwiftUI framework aims to enable developers to create UI elements (buttons, images, sliders) that automatically adapt to different platforms (iOS, macOS, visionOS).
• The goal is to "press build" and have the code look great across all platforms.

7. Craig Federighi's Role

• Craig Federighi is a fan favorite and a "super geek" who is deeply involved in software development.
• He personally reviews Xcode every year and is very detail-oriented regarding APIs.

8. Conclusion

• The speaker is most excited about the people behind the scenes at Apple.
• The key takeaways from WWDC are expected to be advancements in AI, increased developer access to APIs, improvements to the App Intents framework, and potential changes to the revenue tier structure. The speaker hopes for seamless cross-platform development through SwiftUI.