While WWDC is remote this year, I still think we will see some large new features and improvements to the developer ecosystem.

To be clear, this is my wishlist and not a list of predictions 😀.

1. A real Xcode extension system

It'd be awesome if we could write more kinds of extensions for Xcode instead of some of the limited things they are available for.

There is a ton of possibility here for great developer tools to improve Xcode - and a lot of other IDEs have robust extension systems which developers love.


2. Reduce the 30% App Store cut.

Obviously, this would be great and keep more money in developers hands. I also believe that this would enable more types of apps and business models that just can not be sustainable with the 30% cut. 30% is very very large.

Without reducing revenues too much - Apple could also only reduce this for applications or developers that make less than some relatively nominal amount from the App Store per month (say, 5,000 USD a month?).

A tiered approach would allow Apple to keep most of the revenue, but also allow smaller developers to keep more of the money. There also may be a way to position this as a way for Apple to support smaller developers during this latest massive economic crisis?


3. Up front subscription pricing

It'd be great to have the ability to offer a subscription up front inside of the App Store, instead of just using in app purchases.

On the App Store, instead of the normal pricing button - it could say something like `2.99 / Month` and also offer all of your pricing options.

This would allow application developers to provide a subscription application without having to worry about in app purchase subscription code (which is really difficult, especially for smaller developers) - or having to support a free / default state.


4. Xcode for iPad

This one has been talked to death, but while I wouldn't ever use an iPad for day-to-day development; it'd be amazing to only have to take an iPad while traveling. With Xcode, and the features required for it (shell support, for example) - it would be possible to do this. The iPad is lighter and faster which makes it better than any Mac laptop to travel with, physically. It'd be amazing.

Those are my high level wishes for WWDC 2020. Let me know your thoughts by tweeting at me here.

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