The summer has barely begun, but the DevOps industry is already bringing the heat. Last week marked a huge week for the software development industry: Apple gave everyone more reasons to take a bite of the fruit, Microsoft proved they are big spenders when it comes to developers, and a low-code pioneer became a unicorn.

WWDC

The week kicked off with Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, where developers from more than 77 countries gathered for five days of presentations, hands-on labs, consultations and most importantly, new Apple releases. Of course, it wouldn’t be WWDC without the release of a new operating platform iOS 12 or a new OS (MacOS Mojave). Some highlights of iOS 12 include:

• Siri shortcuts which allow you to do predetermined actions by saying a code word (i.e. “leaving work” will make Siri queue up directions home)
• FaceTime up to 32 of your closest friends!
• You will be able to create an “animoji” that looks like you called “memojis”
• “Digital Wellness” features meant to help users crack down on phone addiction like adding a “bedtime” mode so you aren’t overwhelmed with messages and stimuli at night, the ability to see exactly how much time you spend on apps and how many times a day you check your iPhone

While these announcements are drumming up excitement for the consumers, Apple also announced a new capability specifically for developers – the ability to port iOS apps to MacOS in 2019. As Macs and iOS devices have been growing closer in terms of functionality, this now makes cross-platform porting possible by integrating elements of iOS’s UIKit frameworks directly into MacOS, alongside the existing AppKit framework used on desktop. Another win for developers as we move to an increasingly mobile world.

Microsoft Acquires GitHub

Microsoft made a big – and controversial – move this week by acquiring the world’s largest code host, GitHub, for $7.5 billion. This acquisition brings the focus to open-source projects and development and helps ensure the company’s continued leadership with developers well into the next decade complementing its rapidly expanding cloud business – Azure. However, critics in the industry were quick to state that this move could distance GitHub from the heart of open-source and favor Microsoft products over competing alternatives.

PAN client, CloudBees, the enterprise DevOps leader, weighed in on the acquisition with CEO Sacha Labourey stating: “The net of today’s news is that this acquisition confirms the strategic value of DevOps. As software is eating the world, developers have become the new kings. DevOps vendors that have been able to show great developer adoption as well as build associated revenues are incredibly strategic.

The immediate question remains: Is Microsoft a good destination for GitHub? The answer is easy: I can’t think of a better destination for GitHub than “The New Microsoft.” The New Microsoft totally gets developers. GitHub has built an amazing social network for developers who are likely not going to be in a hurry to leave this buzzing hive anytime soon for some temporary FUD. Furthermore, I predict Microsoft will be further investing to pursue GitHub’s mission, including adding what has been lacking the most to GitHub in the last year: a leader at their top.”

Sacha’s statement along with quotes from other industry thought leaders like GitLab, Sonatype and Red Hat appeared in top developer trades ZDNet and SDTimes.

OutSystems Receives $360 Million Investment  

PAN client OutSystems received a $360 million round of funding from KKR and Goldman Sachs last Tuesday. This investment brings the company’s value to more than $1 billion dollars, officially securing its unicorn status and earning the company sizable recognition in TechCrunch, Reuters, Forbes, Wall Street Journal and other top-tier outlets. As the low-code pioneer and the market’s biggest and longest-running pure-play company, OutSystems is attacking one of the biggest problems facing businesses today – the lack of speed and agility of traditional software development. The low-code market – one of the fastest growing segments of software development by Gartner, Forrester and Ovum and valued at $27 billion – took a huge leap forward with this funding announcement, entering the mainstream.

As digital transformation moves from buzzword into common practice, this alternative to traditional software coding signifies the need to speed and agility by redefining how enterprises develop software applications. With this investment, OutSystems plans to use the funds to accelerate business expansion in North America and for R&D in new advancements in software automation, bringing low-code to the masses.

If last week’s news was any indication, the software development and DevOps space is sure to be a hot topic moving forward. For PR and marketing professionals, it’s important to keep a temperature check for your clients; not only will these changes impact the immediate industry, but we’re sure to see these trends impact the broader B2B tech landscape as well.