WWDC — final destination, or just the beginning?

Last saturday I got an email that probably every iOS (and Mac OS) developer dreams to get. It was the email from Apple telling me that I was randomly selected to attend WWDC (worldwide developers conference).

That day I laughed and I cried. I was really shocked when I opened that email. 🙂 It was like this: I woke up, checked facebook, email etc., and one of my friends sent me facebook message that he was selected for WWDC and I thought it might be great to check my work email. 😀 Btw, I was still in my bed. 😀

After getting this opportunity to attend WWDC (big thanks to my employer/company Photomath for sending me there 😉 ) I asked my self: “is this final destination for an iOS developer or just the beginning?”. I would like to write here how my path of becoming iOS developer went, telling about some important moments (not the entire resume but some interesting moments) that guided me these past years and got me here, preparing for the DUB DUB DC (WWDC :P).

2010.

After listening to Ivica Siladić (from company Mireo — they make GPS navigation software) at “open days” at my college/university and having C++ class by my prof. Igaly, I got really interested in programming. I was then on my second year (undergraduate programme — mathematics) and planning to enroll in graduate programme of business and financial mathematics. But events that year moved my focus to computer science and mathematics programme. One day I stumbled upon a video called “Apple developer tell their story” and I can tell for sure that that was the crucial moment. I got pumped and wanted to get as much information about iOS development as I can. Btw, in 2010 iOS was called iPhone OS. 😉

One day I emailed a guy that I found on one of croatian mac community (Jabucnjak) — he was writing about iOS development and his game, I asked him how to start, what to learn, etc., and Sanjin responded the morning after with really great advice (for example: buy a Mac, Stanford CS193p class, how you distribute apss, …).

I must say that I might not have went forward with this goal of learning iOS development if I did not get proper advice (from Sanjin) and today I might have worked in a bank or insurance company crunching numbers. 😀

After that I got an iMac and an iPhone (thanks to my mom and my brother), started learning Objective C and iPhone development (Stanford class and Apple docs), published my first app — SmBuS, and I went full speed ahead!

2011.

Worked on couple of more iOS apps, kept on learning more stuff for iOS development, enrolled to graduate programme (CS and math).

2012.

That year I released an app called BackWay — http://backway.me, went on couple of conferences and really got to know local tech ecosystem. That was also first year that I applied for student scholarship for WWDC, but I did not get it. 🙂

2013.

This was the year I released my first game, called ColorTap!, made with Sprite Kit! That was also the first year I met some cool Apple people (like John Geleynse — that guy you see at Apple Design Awards ceremony, Allan Schaffer, …) when I went to iOS Tech Talks in Berlin.

That year I presented ColorTap! at Apps World London Indie Game Zone and got a minute to chat and take a pic with the one and only Woz 🙂

That year I also applied for WWDC student scholarship, did not get it.

2014.

Applied again for the student scholarship, and you guess correct, did not get it.

Made my second game — Color Maze. Graduated at University of Zagreb, PMF-MO, computer science and mathematics with final thesis “Developing iOS applications”

2015.

Released another app (after some time) — Easie. That year I did not apply for a student scholarship (I was not a student any more) but I applied for a “normal” ticket (at my previous job). Same as years before, did not get the ticket. 🙂

2016.

Attended my second Tech Talks, this time it was Apple TV Tech Talks in London. I also released one more app (my 15th app), Daily Sparks — get reminded about important things. And most important, this is the year I got the chance to attend WWDC!!!!! :))))))))

I could write a lot more about stuff that happened in the last couple of years but I think this is enough and still useful to get a picture of my path.

Today I have released 15 apps on the App Store (some were not released and some are still planned to be made and released) in about 6 years of learning and making iOS apps.

Today I work in one hell of a company and work on one of the best and most popular app on the planet — Photomath — smart camera calculator.

I would like to thank again to my company/employer Photomath for sending me to WWDC and giving me the chance to experience it. I dreamed about going to WWDC since I started with iOS development and watched first WWDC keynote and sessions on my iMac. I will remember this always and again big THANK YOU!!! 🙂

I will use this opportunity to the fullest and it will be the start of the next chapter in my career. WWDC I am coming and you better get ready for me! 😉

Originally posted at https://medium.com/@bsevo/wwdc-final-destination-or-just-the-beginning-c232c2b25942