It's official - Google I/O 2020 has been cancelled amid concerns of COVID-19, otherwise known as Coronavirus. However, the company is looking for alternative format for its annual developer conference.
Google I/O 2020 has been Cancelled but the Company is Looking for an Alternative Way to Connect with Developers this Year
Every year, Google hosts its developer conference called I/O in order to showcase what the company has been working on in the software department. Sadly, this year's conference has been called off officially due to COVID-19 and those who applied for the conference back in January and have paid for it will be fully refunded before the 13th of March.
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.
This is obviously a sad development for those who have been really excited for the future of Google's software including Android. But Google has also revealed in an email that it is working on ways to connect with its developer community this year despite the Coronavirus fears. We're assuming that the company will be hosting a virtual event of sorts which will be broadcasted to everyone around the globe. But of course, that's us taking a shot in the dark.
All guests who have purchased tickets to I/O 2020 will receive a full refund by March 13, 2020. If you don’t see the credit on your statement by then, please reach out to io@google.com. Guests who have registered for I/O 2020 will not need to enter next year’s drawing and will be automatically granted the option of purchasing an I/O 2021 ticket.
Over the coming weeks, we will explore other ways to evolve Google I/O to best connect with our developer community.
For additional questions, please contact io@google.com.
This isn't the first event that fell prey to COVID-19. Recently, Facebook cancelled its F8 summit, Microsoft was forced to do the same along with the Geneva Motor Show and more. We understand that this is a precautionary measure to stop the spread of the virus and it's a darn good one. But obviously, those who been looking forward to 2020 as a huge showcase for a lot of things tech are going to be severely disappointed.
We will keep our readers in the loop regarding Google I/O 2020 and how the Mountain View giant is going to take it from here. Will there be a virtual event, a bunch of press releases or more? Let's wait a few days and sit this one out until more details arrive. In the meantime, feel free to check the Google I/O website for more details.
