Apple WWDC 2020 date set for June 22 — How to watch online for free

(Image credit: Apple)

Mark your calendars! The show will go on for the annual Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), but as expected, it will be a virtual event with the pandemic continuing to plague the tech industry and the world at large.

In previous years, gaining entry into the San Jose conference would cost an arm and a leg -- last year, the fee was $1,599 for five days of special events, sessions and hands-on labs. This time, the Cupertino-based tech giant has decided to make the event free for all developers.

When is Apple's WWDC 2020?

June 22 is the date of Apple's WWDC 2020 and it will welcome an extraordinary number of attendees. Previously, WWDC was limited to only 5,000 guests.

“WWDC20 will be our biggest yet, bringing together our global developer community of more than 23 million in an unprecedented way for a week in June to learn about the future of Apple platforms,” Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, wrote in a recent blog.

Developers will gain insight into Apple's future plans for iPhones, iPads, macOS, Apple TV and smartwatches. Apple describes WWDC 2020 as a conference that will promote a symbiotic relationship: developers will learn about Apple's upcoming roadmap for its products, and conversely, Apple expects to learn from engineers as they build app experiences that enhance and optimize the lives of Apple users worldwide.

How can I watch Apple's 2020 WWDC livestream?

The keynote will be livestreamed for the general public and subsequent sessions will be free for all developers. You can watch Apple's 2020 WWDC livestream with Apple TV, via the Apple Events app, to watch the keynote. You may also be able to watch the livestream from the Apple Events section on Apple's website.

One can access the developer sessions by visiting the Apple developer app or the Apple developer website. As of this writing, it's not clear whether the sessions will require an account with the Apple Developer Program, which costs $99 a year. 

Last year, at WWDC 2019, Apple unveiled a new Mac Pro, macOS Catalina, a high-priced 6K display, iPadOS and iOS 13 with dark mode.

The Apple developer app, which usually has a schedule of events that WWDC ticket holders can look forward to attending, only shows the launch date and that further announcements will come trickling in next month.

Kimberly Gedeon

Kimberly Gedeon, holding a Master's degree in International Journalism, launched her career as a journalist for MadameNoire's business beat in 2013. She loved translating stuffy stories about the economy, personal finance and investing into digestible, easy-to-understand, entertaining stories for young women of color. During her time on the business beat, she discovered her passion for tech as she dove into articles about tech entrepreneurship, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the latest tablets. After eight years of freelancing, dabbling in a myriad of beats, she's finally found a home at Laptop Mag that accepts her as the crypto-addicted, virtual reality-loving, investing-focused, tech-fascinated nerd she is. Woot!