Is there still a place for objective-c?

Yes, there is still a place for Objective-C, although Swift is increasingly becoming the preferred language for many developers.

Apple has been emphasizing the benefits of Swift, such as its safety, speed, and modern features, which make it a compelling choice for app development and other software projects. Swift's interoperability with C and Objective-C allows developers to incrementally adopt Swift in their existing projects, which means that Objective-C codebases can still benefit from Swift's advancements.

For example, in the session What’s new in Swift, it was mentioned that even Objective-C applications gain the benefit of improvements made in the Swift Foundation. This shows that while Swift is being promoted as the future, Objective-C is still supported and can coexist with Swift in the same projects.

Additionally, in the Platforms State of the Union, it was highlighted that Swift is being adopted throughout Apple's software stack, but the interoperability with C and Objective-C ensures that existing codebases can transition smoothly.

Relevant Sessions:

1. Platforms State of the Union
2. What’s new in Swift

In summary, while Swift is the focus for new development, Objective-C remains relevant and supported, especially through its interoperability with Swift.