Google I/O 2020 canceled entirely, due to coronavirus outbreak
Google has decided to cancel I/O 2020 - its biggest annual event - in its entirety. The show was scheduled to kick off on May 12, but the concerns stemming from the rapid outbreak of coronavirus disease COVID-19 has led to its complete cancellation. So far, COVID-19 has claimed over 11,000 lives around the world. Here's more about Google's decision.
Physical component was already canceled
Back on March 3, Google had announced the plan to cancel the physical component of I/O, slated to be held at the Shoreline Amphitheatre, in the light of growing concerns over COVID-19. The company promised that tickets for the event would be refunded in full as it explores "other ways" to evolve I/O and connect with its developer community.
Now, I/O won't happen in any capacity
Google's remark while announcing the cancellation indicated that the company was planning to take I/O online-only to announce new products and connect with developers. But, just recently, it issued a statement noting that it will not hold I/O "in any capacity" this year - neither a physical nor an online I/O event. The action comes as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow worse worldwide.
Move taken out of health concerns, says Google
In the statement, Google noted that the action has been taken "out of concern for the health and safety of our developers, employees, and local communities — and in line with recent 'shelter in place' orders." It added that "right now, the most important thing all of us can do is focus our attention on helping people with the new challenges we all face."
Product updates to be announced through blogs
Google typically uses the I/O event to announce new hardware and updates to Android, Google Assistant, and other software products. Now, these product updates are likely to be announced through neatly-crafted releases in the future, much like what Apple does. Google says "we remain committed to finding other ways to share platform updates with you through our developer blogs and community forums."
COVID-19 has led to many cancellations
Prior to I/O 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected over 2,75,000 people and killed over 11,000 worldwide, had also led to the indefinite postponement of Google's Cloud Next conference as well as the cancellation of Facebook and Microsoft's upcoming developer conferences, among many others.
