Today in San Francisco, at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple launched the latest beta version of its Xcode development tool, version 7 -- which brings new tech, but also marks a significant change to its policies.

Using Xcode 7, developers can test on Apple devices without being licensed members of its developer program -- all that's required is an Apple ID. Of course, to publish to its devices, you'll still need to be a paying member.

The news came to our attention thanks to a tweet from developer Jonathan Kingsley, via Zach Gage.

Here's the exact verbiage from Apple's site:

"Now everyone can get their app on their Apple device. Xcode 7 and Swift now make it easier for everyone to build apps and run them directly on their Apple devices. Simply sign in with your Apple ID, and turn your idea into an app that you can touch on your iPad, iPhone, or Apple Watch. Download Xcode 7 beta and try it yourself today. Program membership is not required."

The release also brings the newest version of its Swift programming language, Swift 2, and the other upgrades to its game development tools (including the additions of GameplayKit and ReplayKit) which we've already detailed.

If you're interested in Xcode 7, you can grab the beta version here.