Viva Technology 2019. Image: David Benard via AFP Relaxnews
Google, Microsoft and Apple are among the companies who announced this week that a scheduled event will be canceled, postponed or converted to a virtual, online-only conference in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Canceled
Webby Awards:
Instead of taking place in May, the annual award show dedicated to recognizing and honoring the best of the internet has been cancelled.
Postponed
Google Cloud Next ’20: Digital Connect:
After announcing earlier this month their plans to convert the annual developers conference into a multi-day digital experience, Google stated this week that the event will be postponed indefinitely “out of concern for the health and safety of our customers, partners, employees and local communities, and based on recent decisions made by the federal and local governments regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19).”
Game Developers Conference:
At the end of February, it was announced that the Game Developers Conference would be delayed until later this year at an undisclosed date. This week, the organizers of the event stated that a shorter edition of the conference will now be held from Aug. 4 to 6.
Vivatech 2020:
Europe’s biggest event dedicated to innovation and tech startups will no longer be taking place this June. The organizers have stated that “alternative solutions are being studied,” but whether the Paris-based conference will be postponed or cancelled has yet to be determined.
Converted to digital event
Apple WWDC 2020:
Earlier this week, Apple announced that the yearly Worldwide Developers Conference will be completely online. The event will take place sometime this June and is expected to provide digital participants with interactive sessions and keynote presentations.
Microsoft Build 2020:
Like Apple, Microsoft is also converting their annual developer conference into a digital experience. It’s still scheduled to take place from May 19 to 21, but instead of in Seattle, all presentations, panel discussions and technical demonstrations will be virtual. JB
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