MWC 2020 organizers, GSMA, announced that the Mobile World Conference is not going to happen this year. After that, several tech companies declared they would not be attending the annual trade show due to coronavirus, the association has officially canceled the show on Feb 12.
GSMA CEO, John Hoffman, said “With due regard to the safe and healthy environment in Barcelona and the host country today, the GSMA has canceled MWC Barcelona 2020 because the global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances, make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event. The Host City Parties respect and understand this decision. The GSMA and the Host City Parties will continue to be working in unison and supporting each other for MWC Barcelona 2021 and future editions. Our sympathies at this time are with those affected in China, and all around the world”.
READ: List of Companies pulling out of MWC 2020
Though the organizing team at first tried to give the relief by taking several precautionary actions, still with the fact that 25 countries have reported the case, GSMA sensed it is important to cancel the show now.
More than 1200 companies were listed for participation, but then many backed one by one due to the outbreak of coronavirus.
Many supported this decision made by the organizers, as the virus has already made a lot of mess with more than 65000 lives.
What was expected at, now canceled, MWC 2020?
Many mobile companies planned to launch their new devices this year. Sony was expected to launch Xperia 2 and Xperia 5 Plus at MWC 2020.
Xiaomi Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro were also expected. However, after the MWC 2020 is scrapped, the company has launched Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro in an online-only event now.
Nokia was also planning to launch its new 5G set. Oppo Find X2 was due to be launched in MWC 2020. LG had plans for its folding phone LG G9, but the company was one of the first to cancel its participation in the show.
MWC will be back in 2021 now. Till then, we believe mobile companies either will go for their separate launching event or, unfortunately, even wait for the next year to come back with the bang.
Futuresource Consulting analyst, Stephen Mears, said that “The delayed product releases that will occur as the result of this show, as well as the supply side challenges surrounding the coronavirus’ broader impact in China …, could potentially delay the smartphone industry’s return to growth into 2021 if the current state of flux is not settled soon”.
The supply of digital gadgets has been severely affected recently. Nintendo has published an apology for the delay in the deliveries of Switch consoles. Foxxconn, the iPhone makers factory, is still shut for weeks now. If the situation of coronavirus epidemic goes on, it can stop the production of the world’s most popular electronic devices.
Featured image: Getty
