Past Talks

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We strive to have a variety of different talks and formats. Take a look at some of the events we've run in the past.

WWDC & Google I/O Panel discussion

July 2024 @ Flutter Entertainment

We discussed the latest announcements from the two annual tech conferences from Apple and Google. We asked a panel of experts for their thoughts and observations on what it means for app development.

Anna Scandella is the Director of User Experience at Pocketworks. She specialises in service design, mobile app remote research, remote user research, and UX design. With nearly 7 years at Pocketworks, she focuses on simplifying complex services and driving solutions design.

Aaron Thompson is the Head of Mobile at Accenture Next Gen Engineering, he has been working in tech for over 10 years and has worked on many different technologies, from embedded computing to full stack web and mobile. He has worked on a number of high-profile apps such as Asda Rewards, Goldman Sachs Marcus, Sainsbury's Grocery & SkyBet's Super 6 and Sporting Life apps.

Rich Thorne is a Principal Engineer at Sky, leveraging his 15+ years of full-stack development experience to craft scalable solutions for the My Sky App team. With a deep expertise in React Native, he tackles complex technical challenges with a passion for innovation.

Niclas Jeppsson is an iOS Developer at BBC where he works across their different platforms and is part of the team implementing SwiftUI across their apps. Niclas is also a passionate learner of all things Metal, C++ and game development.

From Concept to Crowd-Puller: The SwiftLeeds Journey

By Adam Rush, April 2024 @ AND Digital

Dive into the story of SwiftLeeds, a gathering that’s become a beacon for Swift enthusiasts, through the eyes of its founder, Adam Rush. With over a decade of experience as an iOS Engineer, I embarked on a mission not just to create another tech conference, but to foster a community where learning, innovation, and connections flourish. This talk is my personal narrative of transforming a vision into reality. From the early days of sketching out plans, grappling with challenges, to celebrating our milestones – it’s a journey filled with lessons, laughter, and a few surprises along the way. I’ll share the strategies that worked, the hurdles we overcame, and how we’ve kept the passion alive through each event. Whether you’re dreaming of starting your own conference or looking to make a mark in the tech world, join me as I unfold the chapters of creating SwiftLeeds, a testament to the power of community and determination.

Hack Reality - An Introduction To Making Apps for Apple Vision Pro

By Matt Heaney, March 2024 @ Flutter Entertainment

At WWDC 2023, Apple made a game changing announcement: they introduced the Vision Pro and visionOS, their first steps into spacial computing. Their new headset allows apps to break out of iPhone and iPad screens and blend seamlessly into spaces around us.

For users, this is incredibly exciting.

But as developers, this goes another level: we get to make apps to be used on the headset! Whether you’re an experienced developer for Apple products or brand new to the game, this is the perfect time to get involved.

The best part is: it’s easier than you may think to get and running with developing for visionOS. There’s a lot of new terms and tools we can use, but this talk has you covered.

In this talk, we’ll start at the very top, and we’ll look at:

Beyond code: creating business value with mobile apps

By Gabbrielle Earnshaw, February 2024 @ AND Digital

In this talk I (Gabbrielle) start with an overview of how apps drive business value at a very high level. Then I give some examples of how you can use that understanding to make technology decisions to drive value for a specific app.

WWDC - World (Wide Developer) Café

January 2024 @ Leeds Beckett University

For our the January 2024 event we hosted a World Café ☕️. A World Wide Developer Café if you will 😉

This was an informal event, with an atmosphere like that of a café, creating a space that supports good conversation, where anybody is able to talk about things that matter to them.

The aim was for attendees to meet new people and discuss their ideas and thoughts about mobile apps. We grouped into tables, discussed a topic for roughly 15 minutes, captured opinions, and then moved on to another table with new people to discuss a related topic.

There were 4 topics of discussion:

Summary of our discussions

Is privacy still the cost of FREE? 

By Anthony Main, November 2023 @ Doza Consulting

The state of data privacy in 2023 and the recent and upcoming changes in Android and iOS.

Streamlining Mobile App Delivery with Trunk-Based Development

By Patrick Powell, November 2023 @ Doza Consulting

Join us for an insightful talk on Trunk-Based Development, a modern software development approach that promises to re-evaluate the way you build and deliver software. We will explore the principles, benefits, and best practices of trunk-based development, helping you understand how it can streamline your development process and accelerate the software delivery pipeline of your mobile apps.

Cross Platform vs Native Mobile Apps Panel Discussion

October 2023 @ Flutter Entertainment

This month we hosted a Panel Discussion on the topic of Cross Platform vs Native Mobile Apps

Our panellists were:

Mastering Mobile Design: The Secret Sauce Behind Delightful Design

By Mike Stead, September 2023 @ AND Digital

Join us as we delve into the (not so) secret sauce behind great interaction design, breaking down everyday interactions and the genius behind their intuitive nature. Learn how to power up your apps by seamlessly blending functionality and aesthetics to evoke delight and enhance the way people interact with your mobile apps.