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Apple lets the press attend the keynote, but not the rest of the conference. Maybe that explains the decline.

How long ago was this? I was there in 2008 and 2010 and both years were packed to the rafters all week long.

that's kind of sad. you'd think people will stick around to learn stuff, not just to say they attended the keynote

I don't know when the person you replied to last went, but I went to every WWDC since 2007 and the sessions have only gotten more and more packed and lab time for some popular topics even harder to come across. Granted there's always unpopular/niche sessions with half empty rooms, but I also went to sessions that were so packed all the available floor space that wasn't a fire hazard was occupied.

I understand the grumbling at the idiots that buy a $1600 ticket to watch the keynote, but I don't think there's that many people that truly impulse buy such a thing just to see the damn keynote. I've skipped out on half the keynotes so far to sleep in and eat breakfast and show up in time for the SOTUs in the afternoon instead, which are much more informational.