MWC 2020 Officially Cancelled Over Coronavirus Fears
The GSMA cancels Mobile World Congress 2020 after major tech companies withdraw due to the global coronavirus outbreak. The organization deems the event impossible to hold safely just weeks before its scheduled start.
Mobile World Congress 2020 is officially cancelled as the GSMA halts the massive tech event due to growing concerns over the coronavirus outbreak. The organizers state that global health fears and widespread travel issues make it impossible to safely host the show in Barcelona.
The decision comes after a wave of major tech companies pull out of the exhibition, with Sony, LG, and HMD Global leading the exodus. Originally scheduled for late February, the annual gathering serves as a primary launchpad for new smartphones and mobile technology from industry giants like Xiaomi, Huawei, and Oppo.
GSMA CEO John Hoffman expresses sympathy for those affected by the virus and confirms that the association is already looking ahead to MWC Barcelona 2021. The World Health Organization confirms tens of thousands of global coronavirus cases at the time of the cancellation, prompting this unprecedented shutdown of the world's largest mobile trade show.