During a media roundtable in Dubai, Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president for environment, policy, and social initiatives, expressed confidence in Apple’s student developer program in the Middle East. She highlighted the program’s potential to nurture talent, contribute to the growth of start-ups and entrepreneurship, and strengthen ties between developers and Apple. Jackson emphasized the company’s commitment to providing equal opportunities for developers, ensuring they have access to the App Store and can compete on a level playing field with established companies.
Apple has been expanding its developer academies worldwide, with the first one in the Middle East and North Africa region established in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in February 2022. This particular academy focuses on training female developers, a groundbreaking initiative for the region. While specific figures for the Middle East academies were not provided, Apple shared that globally, these institutions have empowered students to create over 1,500 apps and establish more than 160 new companies.
The cultural diversity of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) plays a significant role in Apple’s approach to developer engagement. With over 200 nationalities residing and working in the Emirates, Apple leverages this diversity to gain valuable insights and adapt to developers’ localized needs. Jackson highlighted the transformative impact of critical thinking and challenge-based learning on students’ careers, families, and entrepreneurial endeavours.
Apple’s App Store, which revolutionized the app market upon its launch in 2008, has experienced remarkable growth. It currently offers over 1.8 million third-party apps, representing nearly 100% of all apps available. While Google Play leads in terms of total app numbers, the App Store maintains a revenue advantage due to higher iPhone sales in countries with higher incomes.
Apart from its developer academies, Apple’s Today at Apple program organizes educational and creative sessions conducted in Apple Stores. With four Apple stores in the UAE (two each in Abu Dhabi and Dubai), this program provides additional support and learning opportunities for developers.
The success and growth of Apple’s services segment, including the App Store, are evident in its financial reports. In the second fiscal quarter, Apple reported a 5.5% increase in services revenue, reaching $20.9 billion. The company has also highlighted that since its inception in 2008, developers on the App Store have earned approximately $920 billion from selling digital goods and services.
Apple’s initiatives have positively impacted smaller developers, as evidenced by a recent study showing a 71% revenue increase since 2020, surpassing their larger counterparts.
The upcoming Worldwide Developer Conference, scheduled to begin on June 5, presents further opportunities for talented developers. Sabrina Sales, a 14-year-old developer and two-time winner of the student program at the conference hopes to secure a third award and aspires to establish her own startup in the future. The collective efforts of Apple and developers like Sabrina aim to position the UAE as a global hub for innovation.
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