Apple Entrepreneur Week Kicks Off, App Earnings Hit New Highs

As Apple’s inaugural entrepreneur camp kicks off with 11 female founded app companies, app developer earnings cross new threshold. App developer earnings reach $120 billion since the 2008 App Store launch, an additional $20 billion in earnings since last summer alone.

On January 28th of this year, Apple opened its doors to attendees of its new entrepreneur camp - an innovative program designed to provide female app creators with the tools needed to thrive in today’s global app economy. A two-week immersive hands-on technology lab, the Entrepreneur Camp helps participants work on their apps with help directly from Apple experts. The program also has sessions on design, technology and App Store marketing. Each student also gets ongoing guidance and support from an Apple Developer Relations representative for a year. The curriculum encourages developers to use the latest Apple technologies such as optimizing for the A12 Bionic chip, integrating Core ML, building ARKit experiences and more. Each participating company will also receive two tickets to WWDC and complementary membership to the Apple Developer Program for one year.

“The App Store is the new digital Main Street, and creative developers are tapping into the vast potential of the global app economy.”

— Esther Hare, Apple Senior Director

“In the past, starting a small business often meant having to invest in overhead, inventory or retail space. Today, a world of opportunity opens up with some coding skills and an entrepreneurial spirit,” said Esther Hare, Apple’s senior director, Worldwide Developer Marketing and executive sponsor, Women@Apple. “The App Store is the new digital Main Street, and creative developers are tapping into the vast potential of the global app economy. We hope that this program helps to inspire women around the world to learn to code, join the iOS development community and share in the thriving app economy.”

The new camp will be held on a quarterly basis with up to 20 app companies accepted. Admission to the select program requires an app submitted by a female founded company with at least one woman on the product development team. More details are available here: developer.apple.com/entrepreneur-camp.

For this first session, the apps that have been selected include Bites by Warehouse Apps LLC; Camille by Ohhh, Inc.; CUCO: Lembrete de Medicamentos by CUCO Health; Deepr by Mental Mobile, LLC; D’efekt by Tatevik Gasparyan, Nané Toumanian and Vahagn Khachikyan; Hopscotch by Hopscotch Technologies; LactApp by LactApp Women Health; Pureple by Iceclip LLC; Statues of the La Paz Malecón by Estudio Chispa; WeParent by FamTerra Inc.; and Seneca Connect by Seneca Women.

Upcoming iOS 13 Expected to Include Dark Mode, CarPlay Upgrades, iPad Updates and More

At WWDC this summer, Apple is expected to unveil the latest version of its iOS system, iOS 13 in beta. Other iOS 13 upgrades include CarPlay improvements, a new Home screen, and the ability to tab through multiple pages of a single app.

According to reports via Bloomberg and others, one of the major updates is dark mode for the iPhone and iPad, matching the dark mode now available on the Mac through macOS Mojave as of last year. Since iOS12, Apple has shifted its approach to iOS development, allowing more time for features that require more development, while the company continues to offer annual updates. iOS 13 may thus be significantly more developed than prior updates.

Expected Rumored Features include:

• Redesigned Home screen on iPhone and iPad
• Dark Mode
• Updated CarPlay interface
• iPad interface updates
• New multitasking features
• Cross-platform apps
• Updated Files app

Both the Home screen for iOS (iPhone and iPad) as well as for CarPlay is expected to be updated. iOS 13 will have Dark Mode, a feature that users have wanted for a long time, enabling easier “nighttime viewing.” Apple’s Live Photo feature is expected to double the length of the video, going from three seconds to six seconds.

Viewing multiple windows via a single iPad app via tab viewing. New multitasking features are also expected. Cross platform apps are expected, allowing you to bring iOS apps to the Mac. This is an exciting new functionality that developers can use to port iOS apps to the Mac. Finally, new Mail features are also expected, including the choice to turn off incoming Mail notifications from email threads.

View our prior WWDC coverage here.

iOS 12.2 Beta Mentions New iPads and 7th-Generation iPod Touch Yet to Be Launched

New software beta indicates new iPads and an updated iPod touch arriving soon.

The new iOS 12.2 launched earlier this week as a public beta, comes a few days after the beta was released for developers. The update is available via over the air updates. Apple is expected to launch a low cost iPad with a 10-inch screen and a new iPad mini. The beta software also appears to indicate that the new iPad mini would work with the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard.

In the Maps app, there's a new option that can be activated by the Maps section of the Settings app to show Air Quality alongside weather readings.

iOS 12.2 expands upon Apple News, launching in Canada for the first time, accessible in both English and French for iPhone and iPad users. The update also hints at a possible Apple News subscription feature, where a Texture magazine can be added to Apple News. Apple appears to be internally testing a possible subscription magazine option "Apple NewsMagazines," via Apple News, according to images located in iOS 12.2 by 9to5Mac where customers can subscribe in the Apple News app.

iOS 12.2 also introduces HomeKit and AirPlay 2 for third-party televisions and also has a new TV remote in the Control Center. Additional updates include changes to the Wallet app, the Downtime feature in Screen Time and a new addition to Safari. iOS 12.2 also brings in more Siri support in a newer version of AirPods.

As always, the software to be beta tested several times before public launch.