Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference to be met with WGA protesters on strike

ByAmanda del Castillo KGO logo
Monday, June 5, 2023
Apple's Developers Conference to be met with WGA protesters on strike
Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference will be one of six locations around the country where members of the Writers Guild of America will hold an "Apple Day of Action."

CUPERTINO, Calif. -- Monday is the first day of Apple's annual week-long Worldwide Developers Conference.

There was an early morning hustle and bustle around Apple Park in Cupertino as people come in from across the globe for the conference.

"It's the first time i'm in the U.S. and i'm very excited to see what they have to reveal today," software developer Philipp Mayr said.

RELATED: Here's what to expect at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference

Mayr made the trip from Germany. He explained he's looking forward to learning about new software, operating systems and more, and added there's also much anticipation surrounding word of a mixed reality headset.

"I was hoping for more of a thing you can wear outside," he admitted. "So at the moment it doesn't look like that, from what I've heard. But maybe they surprise us. I don't know."

The tech giant is also expected to address its strategy for Artificial Intelligence.

AI is also top of mind for those planning to demonstrate during the developers conference.

By Monday afternoon, the Writers Guild of America will lead an "Apple Day of Action" at six sites across the U.S. including Apple Park.

This is in line with the writers' strike, which is now in its sixth week with 11,000 writers demanding higher pay, a stable pay structure and provisions about AI.

"I hope it isn't as big as an inconvenience," Mayr shared. "I understand it though, i think it's a good thing that they are demonstrating for that. I think it's important."

Writers Guild representatives and allies plan to out these pamphlets instead of picketing as part of the on going writers' strike.

The group released a statement which warned AppleTV+ subscribers: "Consumers must know that without writers creating new content for the service, Apple TV+ is not worth paying for."

Meantime, the highly anticipated 34th annual Apple Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off.

Apple CEO Tim Cook addressed during the keynote, saying, "Today we're going to make some of our biggest announcements ever at WWDC."