INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The spread of coronavirus has raised concerns over large-crowd events, and some of the biggest events in tech and gaming have responded by
canning major events.Apple is the latest brand to alter its plans based on the COVID-19 threat - it has moved to an 'online-only' event, and
is donating to local businesses to allow for the drop in revenue from the lack of thousands of visitors.In February, Mobile World
is contained.With E3 and Build also falling and finding other ways to display their messages to developers and fans, it's clear that 2020
is going to be a year of disruption in the tech world, and that's going to have an impact on the new devices we'll be able to buy and
when.We've rounded up all the cancellations that have already occurred, and what we're expecting to happen later in the year as we navigate
2020.MWC(Image credit: Future)The biggest annual smartphone show was the first to go; on 12 February the GSMA (Global System for Mobile
Communication) announced it had canceled Mobile World Congress 2020
The confirmation came after Nokia, LG, Facebook, Sony, and other major names had already pulled out.The impact: MWC has been a mixed bag of
focus would have evolved from far-reaching demonstrations such as flying taxis and remote airships, to more realistic and pragmatic
Without that futuristic vision being passed around the industry, it could slow down the impact of new and innovative ways of using 5G we've
not yet thought of.The phone launches themselves haven't been cancelled, as some brands who were lined up for the show still made
announcements, just with less fanfare
For example, Sony revealed its new Xperia 1 II flagship with a YouTube presentation and others are lined up to launch later in the year.Then
big developer conference was set to kick off May 5 this year
and hardworking developers get their first big break
It's indefinite cancellation is a big blow for multiple people working in the industry, and will have ramifications later on in
these events - how many games get signed, how many negotiations get started, how many networking events lead to game deals down the road
their budget to come to GDC
make those relationships and, in many cases, find a way to publish their game, has obvious ramifications.SXSW(Image credit: Shelley Hiam /
Steve Adler who declared a local state of emergency
indie filmmakers, having a movie premiere at SXSW can launch their career
SXSW is a major economic driver that attracts hundreds of thousands of attendees each year
However, we're still expecting the launch of the Google Pixel 4a and the new Airpods-rivalling Pixel Buds, providing they're not delayed by
Scheduled to take place June 9-11 in Los Angeles, E3 2020 was set for another explosive year, despite dwindling support from major
going to be important for the future of the event.The impact: The LA convention has been slowly fading in significance
In 2013 Nintendo replaced its press conference with an online presentation, and has continued to do so each year since
In 2019, Sony pulled its presence completely, and had already committed to doing the same in 2020 before E3 was canceled.Nonetheless, all
eyes were on E3 2020 as it would be the last show before the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X launch in time for the holidays
It wanted to use E3 to drum up hype and will now host a digital event instead.So will next year be business as usual? Possibly not
We look forward to bringing you E3 2021 as a reimagined event that brings fans, media, and the industry together in a showcase that
the eve of its reveal of the PlayStation 5, Sony stated that it would not be attending E3 2020 (prior to the current health scare), while
Nintendo has for years preferred to host its own web stream rather than an E3 conference (though it always has a substantial presence on the
who rely on E3 for forming vital connections
says.Microsoft Build(Image credit: Microsoft)When: 19-21 MayMicrosoft Build was set to kick off on May 19 in Seattle, but with the number of
In light of the health safety recommendations for Washington State, we will deliver our annual Microsoft Build event for developers as a
to learn, connect and code together
Stay tuned for more details to come."The impact: Not devastating to users as there's little hardware announced at this conference, but it
flexible) devices - that will still be given out on the virtual conference but developers will have to wait longer to get direct information
great way to get vital facetime with the company -and other key developers - as they assess how they can interact with the company's new
'online only' show.Apple announces its shows quite late in the day, which gave the company a little more time to see how the COVID-19
booked and developers wouldn't be disappointed
situation has required that we create a new WWDC 2020 format that delivers a full program with an online keynote and sessions, offering a
great learning experience for our entire developer community, all around the world
products launch in September, Apple needs to get developers excited and prepared to build the next wave of software, and that requires
events that could feasibly be cut, and what each could mean.Computex 2020(Image credit: TheIndianSubcontinent)When: 2-6 JuneComputex is the
biggest show in the computing world every year, with everything from big name manufacturers like Dell and AMD to super niche products and
where we see the biggest computing launches of the year
This year we're expecting AMD Ryzen 4000 processors for mobile along with a load of the best Ultrabooks we'll see over the next year or
is scheduled to go through
Especially considering that Computex is traditionally held in Taipei, which is just a short plane flight from Wuhan, we could see the show
country to make sure both visitors and residents are completely safe.The impact: Computex is without a doubt the most important show in the
computing world, as there are so many smaller manufacturers that are both trying to get their name out there and looking for industry
resources to make huge launches on their own
future in terms of the spread of the virus, it's impossible to say whether events in the summer will still be vulnerable.The impact:
Cancellation of this show could be pretty heavy
Like MWC, IFA is a bit of a mixed bag in terms of importance to the industry
the usual headline act in Berlin, makes less of a splash at its annual IFA press conference
Again, 5G could play a major role if Apple finally embraces it on the iPhone 12.The impact: This is a big one, and for reasons different to
Apple might seed products directly with journalists straight after the event in order to generate those important hands-on previews which
drive momentum to the on-sale date.However, an Apple event is no good without products
has ramped its efforts back up as China slows the spread of COVID-19.But even if production is running smoothly by the fall, Digitimes
ramifications could ripple through the industry for years to come, but others will matter less.Carolina Milanesi, Principal Analyst at
Creative Strategies, attends many of the conferences mentioned above
harmful long-term effects
