Google I/O event cancelled this year to prevent COVID-19 spread

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The COVID-19 virus is sure doing a "good job", but not so much for the tech industry as it has forced another big company to cancel out an event. This time, the Google I/O won't be happening followed by their Cloud Next event in San Francisco. The Google I/O was supposed to be held in mid-May 2020.

In a simple statement by a Google spokesperson, the cancellation was "due to concerns around the coronavirus (COVID-19), and in accordance with health guidance from the CDC, WHO, and other health authorities, we have decided to cancel the physical Google I/O event at Shoreline Amphitheatre”. All of the attendees who bought the 2020 Google I/O tickets will have a refund by 13 March. Also, they will also have the option to purchase the 2021 Google I/O ticket.

For those who don't know, Google I/O is one of the biggest tech events for tech fans. The company would announce new Android OS updates, new Google devices, as well as new Google services (like Gmail, Google Maps, etc) features. Although the event has been cancelled this year, the company is actually looking into “other ways to evolve Google I/O to best connect with and continue to build our developer community”. Perhaps they could try live streaming the event just like how Huawei and HONOR did.

Prior to the Google I/O cancellation, the 2020 Mobile World Congress and Facebook F8 developer conference were also cancelled because of the COVID-19 outbreak. We will keep an eye if Google decides to have a live stream event or not, so stay tuned for more Google news at TechNave.com.