Mark your calendar: June 7–11 are the dates for WWDC21! Not surprisingly, it will be all virtual (again) this year. If you've never attended or, at the very least, watched a Keynote, don't let the name fool you. Yes, developers are the primary audience, but there is still plenty of content for those of us on the design side (which reminds me, I need to revisit the video archive and make sure I'm up to speed).

Unfortunately, Mobile World Congress, the world's largest phone show, will not be virtual this year. As such, Google has decided to pull out (along with Nokia, Ericsson, Sony, and Oracle) and that's kinduva big deal. It's almost as if GSMA, which is behind MWC, doesn't understand that many companies still have travel restrictions in place due to safety concerns around — you guessed it — COVID-19.

Speaking of travel, the International Air Transport Association will release a Travel Pass app for securely storing your COVID-19 test results and vaccine certificates, as well as provide traveler info on related restrictions. I love it when mobile can help solve real world problems and airline service design is a good fit. There is plenty of space for digital docs to aid with expediting boarding queues.

Still on the topic of travel, Google Maps is bringing Live View to indoor navigation, specifically for places like airports and train stations. In terms of technology interests, the mobile app goes right down the list of augmented reality (check), artificial intelligence (check), machine learning (check), and, of course, geolocation (check check check). It also solves one of the most basic human problems — help me get from point A to point B.

With all of the lockdowns, quarantines, and general social distancing of 2020, you're probably not surprised to hear that in-app spending for iPhones saw a 38% increase. But you might be surprised to learn that increase is expected to continue into 2021. More surprising still is that mobile adoption was accelerated by two to three years' time! And if that feels meh to you, consider that three years ago Face ID was just landing into the hands of iPhone users… and how much has happened since then.

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Articles

• Google ditches Mobile World Congress 2021, the world’s biggest phone show via The Verge
• The airline industry will release a COVID-19 passport for your iPhone next month via Engadget
• Redefining what a map can be with new information and AI via Google
• US iPhone users spent an average of $138 on apps in 2020, will grow to $180 in 2021 via TechCrunch

Events

• [Jun 7–11] WWDC21 via Apple

Resources

• [ProTip] Scenario Mapping: Design Ideation Using Personas via NNg