Apple Improves Developers Forum Ahead of WWDC

[MacRumors]

Ahead of the second all-digital Worldwide Developers Conference kicking off on June 7, Apple today updated its Developers Forum with several new features that aim to make it easier for developers to filter different tags and keep up-to-date on topics that they care about.

Before last year's WWDC, Apple redesigned the forum completely, updating its design and adding broad new capabilities. During the digital conference, the forum serves as a place for developers to interact amongst themselves and with Apple engineers regarding new technologies and APIs showcased during the week.

Building on last year's improvements, Apple is adding the ability for developers to post comments directly on questions to help provide context for the answer, the ability to subscribe to an RSS feed for a specific tag, the ability to see the description of a tag so developers are better able to choose the appropriate one, and more. Here's the full list of changes coming to the forum:

• Post comments on questions or answers to provide context or ask for clarification.
  Search for content across multiple tags.
• Add and manage favorite tags.
• Upload images to your question or answer to provide supporting visual details.
• See tag descriptions when choosing tags for your question so you can quickly select the most appropriate ones.
• Subscribe to RSS feeds for tags you’re interested in.
• See your authored and watched content, favorite tags, and trending tags on the newly designed home page.

WWDC begins on June 7 at 10:00 a.m PT where Apple is expected to announce iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS 12, tvOS 15, and watchOS 8. You can learn more about everything we're expecting using our guide.

Article Link: Apple Improves Developers Forum Ahead of WWDC

 

[LFC2020]

Where are the iOS 15 leaks 👀 didn't we have the widgets leak this time last year for iOS 14?

 

[PersistenceController]

Great, but I'd like to be able to view the forums from the Apple Developer app.

 

[Precursor]

They better reveal a new iPadOS!

 

[BvizioN]

Where are the iOS 15 leaks 👀 didn't we have the widgets leak this time last year for iOS 14?

I guess it will be one of these updates focused mainly on performance improvements (which you can't practically leak)
Meaning a boring one. I am much more interested on what they will do with iPad OS, if anything.

 

[God of Biscuits]

Great, but I'd like to be able to view the forums from the Apple Developer app.

Become a developer.

 

[leman]

Ugh, they’d better. The forums are ridiculously atrocious.

 

[otternonsense]

I guess it will be one of these updates focused mainly on performance improvements (which you can't practically leak)
Meaning a boring one. I am much more interested on what they will do with iPad OS, if anything.

Again? It's been boring one after boring one for years already. The last "revolutionary" iOS release in terms of design language updates was iOS 7(!). The widgets of 14 are basically big buttons with added info and other than those, the UX is exactly the same old thing as 11, 12 and 13.

Next to that there MUST be a stellar improvement in iPadOS to have the M1 in the iPP actually make sense.

 

[EmotionalSnow]

The last "revolutionary" iOS release in terms of design language updates was iOS 7(!).

Maybe. But if you compare iOS 14 to iOS 7 you realize that A LOT has changed since then in terms of design, even if it didn't happen all at once.

 

[sinoka56]

Will they allocate specialist to answer developer questions?

 

[PBG4 Dude]

Will they allocate specialist to answer developer questions?

Engineers are available during Dub-Dub and 2 support incidents / year are included in the basic dev membership. Forums are all user posts though, as far as I’ve seen.

 

[stuarty2003]

I wish they’d just use Discourse.

 

[Notfroggy]

I wish they’d just use Discourse.

Stack overflow probably offers a better format/process to my mind.

 

[duanepatrick]

Is this somehow a hint for something?

 

[Jadzea97]

Is it just me, or are all these reflections in glasses a hint at a new product?? 🤔

 

[nt5672]

The forums cannot get any worse, so any change has to be a massive improvement.

 

[otternonsense]

Maybe. But if you compare iOS 14 to iOS 7 you realize that A LOT has changed since then in terms of design, even if it didn't happen all at once.

And even more is stagnant and/or bloated. It's high time Apple gave iOS UX a rethink.

 

[mejsric]

calendar? hhmm

edit: i get it, jun 7...

 

[Ubuntu]

And even more is stagnant and/or bloated. It's high time Apple gave iOS UX a rethink.

What don’t you like about it out of interest? I’m not the biggest fan (especially of iPadOS) but I’d argue it’s come a long way since iOS 7. That OS version was far too much of a simplification in terms of the UI, imo. Curious about your issues regarding the UX.

 

[leman]

Engineers are available during Dub-Dub and 2 support incidents / year are included in the basic dev membership. Forums are all user posts though, as far as I’ve seen.

There are Apple engineers answering posts on Metal forums at least, but it's not very consistent. I have been promised some documentation enhancements over a year ago which still have not landed.

 

[Supermacguy]

OMG. It's 2021 and (thankfully) they FINALLY added IMAGE POSTING to the forum. Apple, always the leader in technology .

 

[MisterSavage]

Ugh, they’d better. The forums are ridiculously atrocious.

The forums cannot get any worse, so any change has to be a massive improvement.

Have to agree. Can't believe we haven't been able to upload images.

 

[stuarty2003]

Stack overflow probably offers a better format/process to my mind.

Discourse has worked well on Swift forums.

 

[otternonsense]

What don’t you like about it out of interest? I’m not the biggest fan (especially of iPadOS) but I’d argue it’s come a long way since iOS 7. That OS version was far too much of a simplification in terms of the UI, imo. Curious about your issues regarding the UX.

There are welcome changes indeed, e.g. direct sharing suggestions to specific users within specific apps is a great time saver.

Still, a lot of iOS is coating over legacy tosh. E.g. the left-most widget screen had started out well but progressively became useless (the UI in 14 is nonsense and old widgets are unusable). The lockscreen itself could incorporate some of that global info at a glance (e.g. weather and preferred stocks) other than notifications and music. The Settings app is a labyrinth –only direct search somewhat helps. The set springboard and dock design are pretty long in the tooth. The folders have not aged well, especially on iPadOS. And right now iPhone screens are big enough to accommodate better multitasking or some kind of split view. Last, new icons wouldn't hurt!

 

[Ubuntu]

There are welcome changes indeed, e.g. direct sharing suggestions to specific users within specific apps is a great time saver.

Still, a lot of iOS is coating over legacy tosh. E.g. the left-most widget screen had started out well but progressively became useless (the UI in 14 is nonsense and old widgets are unusable). The lockscreen itself could incorporate some of that global info at a glance (e.g. weather and preferred stocks) other than notifications and music. The Settings app is a labyrinth –only direct search somewhat helps. The set springboard and dock design are pretty long in the tooth. The folders have not aged well, especially on iPadOS. And right now iPhone screens are big enough to accommodate better multitasking or some kind of split view. Last, new icons wouldn't hurt!

these are fair points indeed, especially the lock screen and lack of split view.