Apple"s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) begins later today at the company"s Cupertino, California headquarters. However, it looks like the headquarters will have some unexpected visitors: Striking members of the Hollywood Writers Guide of America.
The WGA has been on strike since May 2, looking to get better pay from the various Hollywood movie and TV studios. Deadline reports that members are being asked to appear at Apple"s headquarters today, specifically at the Apple Park Visitor Center. Members are also being asked to appear at various Apple Store retail locations in the US today.
This will be a low-key but still serious protest outside of Apple"s HQ and the retail stores. Deadline says WGA members are being asked not to hold up picket signs at these events, but to instead hand out leaflets targeting the company"s Apple TV+ streaming service. Part of the leaflet"s message will include the following:
The service offered less than 200 hours of new WGA-covered scripted comedy and drama content last season, and Apple TV+ is alone among streamers in having virtually no library of licensed programs.
Let’s send a message that Apple TV+ is nothing without writers and urge Apple to come back to the table and help end this strike.
The leaflet will also reportedly point out that a number of Apple TV+ original shows have already been temporarily shut down as a result of the current strike.
It will definitely be interesting to see if Apple CEO Tim Cook makes any mention of the striking WGA writers outside the company"s headquarters as he gives his WWDC keynote speech. That is expected to start at 10 am Pacific time (1 pm Eastern time).
Apple is expected to make quite a few major announcements today at WWDC. That includes the reveal of iOS 17, a new version of the MacBook Air, new Mac PC models, and the highly anticipated official first look at the company"s mixed reality headset.