Google on Tuesday said it’s canceling I/O, the search giant’s annual developer conference and Google’s biggest event of the year.
The company said it was calling off the gathering due to concerns over the novel coronavirus that has caused worldwide disruption.
The company said it’s canceling the physical portion of the event, which was set to be take place on May 12-14 at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California, a short walk from the company’s global headquarters. Attendees will get a full refund, the company said in an email.
“Due to concerns around the coronavirus (COVID-19), and in accordance with health guidance from the CDC, WHO, and other health authorities, we have decided to cancel the physical Google I/O event at Shoreline Amphitheatre,” a Google spokesman said in a statement. “Over the coming weeks, we will explore other ways to evolve Google I/O to best connect with and continue to build our developer community. We’ll continue to update the Google I/O website.”
Google I/O, which last year drew more than 7,000 attendees, is the company’s most important gathering each year.
CEO Sundar Pichai‘s keynote speech is akin to the company’s State of the Union address, where he talks about the company’s current efforts and priorities.
Over the past few years, Google has made its biggest announcements at the show, including the introduction of the Google Assistant, Google Home smart speaker and Google Glass eyewear. The company announced the smart eyewear in 2012 with an over-the-top skydiving exhibition in the skies over San Francisco.
continue reading
