The spread of the COVID-19 strain of the dreaded Coronavirus has claimed its latest victim: the annual developer conference hosted by Google in San Francisco.
According to a statement that Google sent out yesterday, all those that had registered and paid to attend the conference will be receiving full refunds.
Furthermore, Google will automatically allow them an opportunity to purchase tickets to attend next year’s conference.
This year, a general admission ticket to I/O cost $1,150 or just under Kshs 120,000 per current exchange rates.
Google usually opens applications for tickets to attend I/O then picks the attendees.
The cancellation of Google I/O 2020 means that for those of us that have been to follow the Android 11 pre-release cycle, we’ll have to rely on Google’s online channels for any communication and announcements on the same.
Google has yet to say what the way forward on the matter is. The statement announcing the cancellation notes that they are “exploring new ways to connect and support” their global developer community which will be adversely affected by the cancellation given the many networking, hands-on opportunities and direct access to the people at Google that matter that the conference usually grants them.
The cancellation of Google I/O 2020 follows hot on the heels of others that have been claimed by the new strain of the Coronavirus that has caused over 3,000 deaths across the globe and crippled the global aviation system thereby immensely affecting travel plans.
Last month, GSMA, the organizers of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, were forced to call off the annual trade show because of the pandemic.
Comments 1