As the COVID-19 situation continues to deteriorate worldwide, major events such as concerts and sports competitions are postponed or canceled to minimize the likelihood of the virus spreading.
And of course the tech industry is not immune to this either – in a statement on the GSMA website yesterday (February 12), the organization announced that it had decided to cancel the 2020 edition of the Mobile World Congress (MWC).
“Given the safe and healthy environment in Barcelona and today's host country, the GSMA has canceled MWC Barcelona 2020 because of global concerns about the outbreak of the corona virus, travel problems and other circumstances making it impossible for the GSMA to host the event. John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA, said.
“The GSMA and Host City parties will continue to work together and support each other for MWC Barcelona 2021 and future issues. Our current sympathy goes to those affected in China and around the world. "
Based on the statement, it appears that the event will be canceled entirely and will not be postponed to a later date.
MWC – scheduled for February 24-27 this year – is one of the biggest tech events of the year, providing brands with a platform to showcase their innovations and give consumers a preview of their latest products.
Big names like LG, Amazon and NVIDIA had already withdrawn from the event earlier this month due to growing concerns.
Cancellation of the event will undoubtedly get a grip on many technology companies' plans, but with over 50,000 active cases and an increasing number every day, it's probably the best.
Header Image Credit: GSMA