Apple shines a light on a pair of developers ahead of WWDC 2019

Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off on Monday, June 3, this year. On that day nosotros volition teach the typical keynote spoken communication where Apple volition beak virtually what’s coming adjacent for its major platforms, including iOS. But the conference itself is all the same meant to focus on developers, what they tin hand notice exercise (both for Apple straight as well as their ain efforts), as well as more.

Not to lose sight of that, Apple on Th published a novel characteristic shining the spotlight on a couplet of developers making things that are meant to aid others inwards the world. Apple notes that on June 3, to a greater extent than than 5,000 developers from 86 countries unopen to the basis volition endure inwards San Jose at this year’s WWDC to beak store as well as come across what’s next.

The 2 developers inwards the characteristic are Erika Hairston, a 23-year-old graduate of Yale who volition endure making her foremost appearance at a WWDC. The other is David Niemeijer, a 50-year-old CEO of AssistiveWare, who volition endure attending WWDC for the 17th yr inwards a row.

Hairston simply launched a service called Zimela, which is designed to aid minorities uncovering opportunities inwards the tech industry. It does this past times non alone identifying mentorships available to those looking, but also showcasing chore opportunities inwards that space. Hairston genuinely finished 1 of Apple’s Entrepreneur Camps non besides long ago, as well as the Zimela iOS app volition launch during WWDC 2019.

Hairston designed Zimela to aid underrepresented groups movement into the tech pipeline past times establishing mentorships as well as making users aware of career placement opportunities, similar internships. She created the app inwards her finally yr at Yale as well as the get upwards came from the moving painting “Black Panther” — Zimela is an interpretation of the Xhosa discussion for representation.

Niemeijer helped select AssistiveWare to the basis afterwards a friend was paralyzed inwards a auto accident. Niemeijer developed a virtual keyboard dubbed “KeyStrokes”, which, dorsum inwards 2001, was brought to the attending of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 user asked if Apple could brand KeyStrokes run on Macs, and, since then, Apple has been collaborating alongside AssistiveWare.

In 2001, a KeyStrokes user wrote a missive of the alphabet to Steve Jobs. In it, he asked if Apple could aid brand Niemeijer’s virtual keyboard run inwards conjunction alongside the newly launched Mac OS X. That was the commencement of a nearly two-decade human relationship alongside Apple as well as over that time, AssistiveWare grew from a companionship of 1 into the world’s leading provider of assistive technology scientific discipline apps for people alongside communication challenges.

The total characteristic is for certain worth taking a hold off at, equally both individuals, spell inwards really unlike stages of their lives, are striving to aid others alongside the things they create.

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