Back in April, Apple announced it will be holding a series of Tech Talks focused on iOS 7 some time this Fall. With the software now out in the wild and the iPhone 5s/5c officially released, the company today moved to announce a tour schedule for a bunch of technical sessions which are set to take place across major cities the world over.
It’s a unique opportunity for developers to convene with Apple engineers and evangelists outside the jam-packed WWDC and discuss developing for iOS 7 in a more personal setting and with hands-on labs targeting both iOS 7 app and game developers…
According to the schedule available at Apple’s Dev Center, iOS 7 Tech Talks are coming to San Francisco, New York, Tokyo, Shanghai, Berlin and London.
Get in-depth guidance about developing for iOS 7, learn practical coding tips and tricks, and obtain valuable one-on-one programming and design assistance in our lab. Choose which day is best for you — app developer day or game developer day.
The iOS 7 Tech Talks kicks off on Tuesday, October 8 in San Francisco, followed by New York (October 15), Tokyo (November 6), Shanghai (November 12), Berlin (December 12) and London (December 17).
Only members of Apple’s paid iOS Developer Program or iOS Developer Enterprise Program can apply. Attendees will be randomly selected from qualified applicants.
Each city tour kicks off with sessions dedicated to building iOS 7-friendly apps which take advantage of the new multitasking APIs, dynamic motion, iBeacon and other new technologies. Equally important are in-depth sessions about iOS 7 technologies aimed at games, such as the new Sprite Kit and  Game Controllers frameworks, the latest OpenGL ES 3.0 support and Game Center improvements.
Apple says folks can only apply for a single day at the iOS 7 Tech Talks:Â either the first day which is devoted to app developers or the following day that covers games development.
Additionally, Apple’s engineers will cover moving to 64‑bit computing and harnessing the power of the iPhone 5s’s A7 processor. The company should also clear up the confusion surrounding its secret App Store app placement policy.
Earlier today, super publisher Electronic Arts denied paying big bucks to Apple in order to withhold the Android edition of Plants vs. Zombies 2. People have suspected for a long time Apple must be giving a group of cherry-picked developers prominent placement for their App Store apps and games, in exchange for a period of exclusivity (actually, that one’s the console guys’ invention).
Apple says one of the sessions is designed to give developers a better understanding of “how apps get selected and featured on the App Store”.
Other sessions strive to explain how new iOS 7 technologies can help reduce apps’ bundle size whilst detailing how layering, tinting, Text Kit, motion effects, dynamics and animation can make third-party software more usable, unique and intuitive.