15 Essential Conferences Every Mobile App Developer Should Consider In 2021

Several days of learning, stunning locations, and after-hours socializing with like-minded colleagues. Who doesn’t like a good industry conference?

While people participate in industry events for various reasons, it’s likely that you, as a mobile app developer, primarily expect hands-on workshops, the latest technology insights, and a chance to interact with your mentors and peers.

The choice of industry events is mind-boggling. We all know the big three – Google I/O, Apple WWDC and Facebook’s F8. What are the other conferences worth attending?

COVID-19 is changing everything, including conferences, but conferences are adapting. Mobile app conferences have already been held virtually, and while you may be missing out on exciting work trips, we've already seen an increase in attendance and engagement on virtual platforms.

The organizers of Google and Microsoft canceled the "physical" part of the conferences. The reason was the fears associated with the spread of the new coronavirus, as per Softpedia.

Instead, online broadcasts of the events will take place on the same dates.

How to Choose the Right Conference for a Mobile App Developer in 2021?

If you’re looking to get up to speed on the latest developments in progressive web apps, hone your Swift skills, or build your React Native development competencies, you should make it a priority to attend at least one industry event next year.

To make your life easier, we have identified ten different mobile app development conferences in 2020 where you’ll have a chance to expand on your Android and iOS app development knowledge.

What were our criteria?

⭐ The latest mobile technologies in focus.

⭐ Networking opportunities for mobile app developers, testers, and DevOps.

⭐ Coding workshops, labs, or hackathons included.

⭐ Lectures and sessions by industry thought leaders and contributors.

⭐ Participation of the leading mobile companies.

Let’s see what events have made it to our shortlist.

1. Mobile World Congress – Top Mobile App Development Companies All in One Place

When & where: 28 June – 01 July 2021 | Barcelona, Spain

How much: Prices vary from €799 to €4,999

Web & social: www.mwcbarcelona.com  | Twitter #MWC21 | Facebook

An event that cannot be ignored. The largest mobile show in the world, MWC each year brings together over 100,000 attendees and more than 2,400 companies under the enormous roof of Barcelona’s Fira Gran Via expo hall. The show creates a wealth of opportunities for mobile devs to learn, meet other mobile enthusiasts, and be the first to hear about the incoming mobile trends and technologies at the numerous keynotes and seminars. 

If you’re based in the Americas, check MWC Americas for more details about the US edition taking place in the fall of 2021. There’s also an Asian leg of the event held in Shanghai 23 - 25 February – MWC Shanghai.

2. Code Mobile – iOS, Android, and Cross-platform Development on the Agenda

When & where: June 1-3 2021 | California , USA

How much: How much: The 2-day Conference Package costs £540 (£378 for students).

Web & social: http://www.codemobile.co.uk/ | Twitter | Facebook

We are pleased to announce that Code 2021 will arrive in California at the legendary and recently renovated Beverly Hilton and neighboring hotel, the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, on June 1-3, 2021.

Code Conference needs no introduction. This is where the famous Kara Swisher holds the heads of the most important tech companies accountable in her famous Red Chair interview without a script.

As we emerge from this pandemic, we will re-enter a changed world. Everything from supply chains to consumer habits has been disrupted. Code brings together the global community of the biggest names in the business - senior executives, investors, and bright startups - to build networks and in-depth conversations. The 2021 Code will be an important part of processing how the pandemic has changed the economic landscape and what we can expect in the coming years. You want to be there.

3. React Europe – Inspiring the Evolution of React Native Development

When & where: September/October 2021 | Paris, France

How much: Packages vary. A 2-day workshop ticket at €625.00 + €125.00 VAT. The conference ticket at €449.00 + €89.80 VAT.

Web & social: https://www.react-europe.org/ | Facebook

Another edition of a popular event that promises to bring web and mobile React Native apps to the next level in 2021. During the several days of workshops, lectures and networking events, the attendees will broaden their knowledge about React.js, React Native, Webpack, Relay, GraphQL, and other elements of the React ecosystem.

4. DroidCon – The World’s Largest Android App Developer Community Meeting

When & where: June 16-18, 2021 | Berlin, Germany

How much: €359 (regular), €309 (when buying at least 5 tickets), or €119.00 (student)

Web & social: https://www.berlin.droidcon.com/  |Twitter #DCBERLIN21 | Facebook

DroidCon started ten years ago in Berlin and since evolved into the largest series of Android-only conferences. Right now, the event spans over 20 cities across four continents. Each event engages the technical audience in hands-on, full-immersion workshops and talks around core Android development, testing, enterprise solutions, security, automotive/connected cars, mobile payment solutions, smart home solutions, devices, and more. To see all locations, go to https://www.droidcon.com/.

5. We Are Developers – The Woodstock of Developers. Mobile Included.

When & where: June 28-29, 2021 | Berlin, Germany

How much: Early Bird Congress Pass at €129

Web & social: https://www.wearedevelopers.com/events/world-congress/ | Twitter | Facebook

The MWC of developers. All developers, mobile included. With over 10,000 coders expected in 2021, the organizers hail it “The Woodstock of Developers.” And rightly so. The event is divided into a variety of subject blocks, frontend being one of them, and featuring such topic areas as JavaScript, UI/UX, React, Angular Vue, HTML5, CSS3, Data Visualisation, Responsive, SEO. 

Dev ninja. Tech fans. Lovers of coding. Software wizards. Industry leaders. Creators. Inventors. And you! Speakers from all over the world will share their professional perspective on current and future trends. This is your chance to learn from industry leaders and gain the skills you need for the future.

Need more recommendations?

6. JSConf series – JavaScript Enthusiasts Encouraging Sharing Knowledge Worldwide

Where & where: September 23-24 | Budapest, Hungary

How much: The Early Bird price starts at €205.

Web & social: https://jsconfbp.com/ | Twitter

JSConf is a not-for-profit conference organization holding over a dozen tech events worldwide, in locations including China, Colombia, Hawaii, or Budapest. All of them are focusing solely on JavaScript topics and are driven by the community of JS enthusiasts eager to share their knowledge with their peers. The events attracted sponsorship and attendees from such household names as Google, Mozilla, Facebook, Microsoft, Bloomberg, and many others. See all events and locations worldwide here: https://jsconf.com/

7. Appdevcon – Great Workshops in Small Groups

Where & where: March 10-13 | Amsterdam, Netherlands

Postponed to 2021. No info on new dates.

How much: How much: €710 for the Full Experience pass. Tickets for specific days/trainings are also available.

Web & social: https://appdevcon.nl | Twitter | Facebook

Great and rather intimate event by app developers, for app developers. The organizers plan to have around 350 people attending all the 4 days of Appdevcon. Three first days are dedicated to training sessions following a few various tracks (e.g. working with Swift) while the last one, taking place at the fantastic Pathé De Munt cinema, is a conference day. Discussions and talks are held at five different rooms, allowing to cover multiple topics (Design & Inspiration, Apple Tech, Google Tech, Cross-Platform, Backends).

8. mDevCamp – The Go-To Conference on Mobile in Central Europe

Where & where: May 27th, 2021 | Prague, Czechia

How much: 2019 tickets cost 3558 CZK (around €140)

Web & social: https://mdevcamp.eu/ | Twitter | Facebook 

mDevCamp proves that you can fit tons of great talks and workshops in one day. The 2021 edition of this largest conference for mobile developers in Central Europe will be the 10th one in the event’s history and will bring together around 1000 like-minded devs from all around the world, not only the region.

Last year, the list of speakers included representatives from companies like Google and Spotify, as well as experts in mobile development, such as Mike Grabowski, a popular persona in the React Native world. This 2021 edition of mDevCamp will cover a variety of Android and iOS-related topics, such as augmented and virtual reality, Internet of Things, and Artificial Intelligence. 

9. dotSwift – TED-like Quality for iOS Developers

Where & where: February 3 | Paris, France

How much: €149 for a standard Conference Pass. Tickets for trainings available for €299.

Web & social: https://www.dotswift.io/ | Twitter 

At dotConferences, the quality of each event is above everything else. They want to establish TED-level conferences developers, and so far they are doing really well.

Every dot’s event (besides Swift, they also run events on CSS, JavaScript and Go) takes place in a beautiful Parisian theatre, is accompanied by great French food, and brings together amazing speakers from all over the world. Speaking slots are not for sale, the dotConferences’ team says and focuses on inviting experts in respective topics. Each talk is also limited to 20 minutes, in order to make sure no one gets bored and tons of knowledge are passed through during the two-day conference.

10. Devoxx – Developers Conferences Beyond Mobile

Where & where: TBA | Krakow, Poland

How much: Conference Pass for 999 PLN (250 EUR) + 23% VAT.

Web & social: http://devoxx.pl/ | Twitter 

Devoxx Poland 2021 will be held at ICE Krakow Congress Center from June 16 to 18. Be sure to mark your calendar and save the new date!

Devoxx conferences are not focused entirely on mobiles, but this area is anyway a big part of the whole agenda. The events take place in six different countries (Belgium, France, UK, Poland, Morocco and Ukraine) and includes both local and global experts as speakers.

Mobile app development will be one of the main topics at the Polish conference in June, and therefore this is the one that we recommend you to attend in 2020. Other tracks will include sessions on Cloud & Big Data, Java SE, Internet of Things, and much more.

11. PG Connects London

When: January 2021

Where: Online

https://www.pgconnects.com/london/

PG Connects brings together leading developers, publishers, tool companies, monetization experts, investors, media representatives and more to share their ideas and insights. With over 2,500 delegates, 300 expert speakers and over 850 leading companies, you will be in touch with the best and most distinguished people in the industry.

PG Connects has an unmissable program with 26 tracks to choose from, such as growth track, indie track, global publications and more. Buying a ticket on PG Connect also gives you access to the Blockchain Gamer Live event, which discusses the potential of blockchain technology to revolutionize the gaming industry.

12. CES Digital

When: January 11-14, 2021

Where: Online

https://www.ces.tech/

CES is a global innovation platform that offers its attendees a personal touch. There is a front row seat where everyone can hear keynote speakers and global technology leaders announcing sensational news and ideas.

With dynamic product and live demos, you can explore the brands and products that interest you the most. You will also have the opportunity to interact with brands, influencers and the business community as you wish, making this conference highly personalized and valuable to you.

Concerning the mobile industry, you will have the ability to enjoy Mobile Hardware and Accessories showcase.

13. Mobile Growth Summit Virtual Conference

When: February 10-11, 2021

Where: Online

https://www.mobilegrowthassociation.com/events/virtual3

The Mobile Growth Summit addresses old and new challenges with technological advances to keep the mobile industry on the move. MGS offers leaders of fast-growing and large-scale brands like Facebook and Jam City a place to share best practices and industry knowledge. Get your questions answered, attend the trade show, and chat in this virtual conference.

With the boom in the mobile industry and growing downloads, MGS is a valuable place to develop a long-term plan for your mobile growth. This is more than just a webinar, in just two days you will have access to three different geographic regions: Latin America, the United States and Europe.

14. MAU Vegas

When: October 13 – 15, 2021

Where: Vegas, but TBD

https://mauvegas.com/

MAU is the world's leading mobile user acquisition and retention summit. MAU brings together over 2,500 leading mobile brand leaders for two full days of learning and relationship building in an environment specifically focused on engaging users for your mobile growth. Past presentations have included the world's leading minds in mobile technology such as the Head of User Acquisition at Hopper and the Director of Marketing at Next Games.

MAU provides a full suite of expert speakers and panels, networking opportunities, and best-in-class software providers to help marketers understand monetization strategies and best practices. This allows you to spend time planning ahead without sacrificing your day to day activities.

15. Game Developers Conference

When: July 19-23, 2021

Where: Virtual and Personal Options in San Francisco

https://gdconf.com/about-gdc

The Game Developers Conference (GDC) brings together programmers, artists, producers, game designers, audio professionals, and business leaders to exchange ideas, solve problems and shape the future of the industry. GDC supports game developers and offers them the opportunity to advance their careers.

GDC offers a trade show showcasing the latest game development tools and services from companies like Amazon, Epic, Google and more. GDC also hosts an independent games festival that celebrates the most innovative indie game development projects.

As we know, GDC has grown and diversified along with the game industry to include a variety of platforms including consoles, mobile and handheld devices. Thus this conference will also be devoted to mobile app development.

Which of the above conferences will make it to your calendar?