COVID-19: Google cancels I/O developer conference in US

San Francisco, March 4 (IANS) Google on Wednesday announced to cancel its biggest tech event — I/O developer conference — in May owing to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

“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,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement.

The company said attendees will get refund by March 13 and those who purchased tickets for this year’s event will be granted the option of buying a Google I/O 2021 ticket, reports The Verge.

Google I/O is its biggest news event of the year that brings new changes to Android and updates to services like Google Maps.

Google’s Cloud Next in San Francisco in April and Microsoft’s MVP Summit in Seattle in March have also been cancelled and both companies have made those events ‘digital-first’.

IFA Berlin has decided to cancel this year’s Global Press Conference, which was scheduled to take place in April.

“We are sure that you all keep yourselves updated on the developing news of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak. We know how much all of you value the great briefing and networking opportunities offered by IFA’s annual GPC. However, as you will appreciate, your health and safety is paramount for us,” said the organiser.

Tech giants like Facebook, Oracle, Microsoft, Cisco and Salesforce have also cancelled or postponed their annual conferences.

US President Donald Trump said he is considering tightening travel restrictions as the coronavirus or COVID-19 outbreak continues to claim more American lives, taking the US death toll to nine and spreading across major urban areas including New York on Tuesday.