WWDC 2012 Tickets: What You Need to Know

WWDC 2012 BADGEApple finally announced its 2012 Worldwide Developers Conference on Wednesday, and with that announcement came a few changes to how the company is handling tickets for the event. The Mac Observer checked out this year’s ticket restrictions so you’ll know what to expect before clicking the Buy button.

Tickets for WWDC are priced at US$1,599 each, and you must be a member of Apple’s iOS Developer, iOS Developer Enterprise, or Mac Developer programs. Ticket purchases are limited to one per person, or up to five per organization. Each ticket includes full access to all WWDC 2012 session, labs and events.

Age Limits Apple is making it easier this year for young developers to participate in WWDC. The minimum age to attend the conference is 13, although anyone under the age of 17 must have their parent or guardian complete registration process.

While Apple is opening up the event to younger developers, they’ll still be left out of one event: The WWDC Bash. That makes sense, considering there will be alcohol served at the party.

Transferring Tickets Last year, buyers were able to transfer their ticket to someone else fairly easily, which led to high aftermarket prices since the conference sold out so quickly. This year, Apple is clamping down on scalpers by making tickets non-transferable.

That means no reselling or online auctions, so don’t buy a ticket if you think you can sell it for a profit later. You can’t.

Companies that purchase multiple tickets can change who individual tickets are assigned to, assuming they are all part of the same business. Making that transfer, however, isn’t exactly easy since you have to request the name transfer from Apple, and they get to decide whether or not to approve it. Transfer requests must be submitted via email to [email protected].

Activation Apple will send you an email after the purchase process has been completed. That email will include your activation code which Apple says you need to use right away to ensure your event ticket is good to go.

Since tickets have only just become available, it’s hard to say what happens if you don’t activate yours immediately. It seems unlikely, however, that you’ll miss out since your purchase has already been completed and tickets are non-transferable.

Refunds If your plans change after you purchase your WWDC ticket and you won’t be able to attend, don’t expect Apple to give you a refund. The company’s ticket policy states “We do not offer returns or refunds on WWDC tickets.”

Apple’s annual WWDC event is a great place for developers to meet with their colleagues and get face time with Apple’s own product engineers. This year’s event runs from June 11 through June 15 at the Moscone West Convention Center in San Francisco. If previous years are any indication, this year’s event will sell out quickly, so don’t procrastinate if you plan on attending.