Google"s I/O 2020 developer conference is officially canceled, the company confirmed today. Earlier this month, the company announced that the in-person event was canceled, and that it would do a virtual event. Now, even that is off the table.
This is due to the shelter in place rules that are in effect in California, thanks to the COVID-19 coronavirus. Even a virtual event would require a certain amount of production, and employees can"t exactly put it all together while working from home.
A #GoogleIO update: Out of concern for the health and safety of our developers, employees, and local communities — and in line with “shelter in place” requirements by the local Bay Area government — we sadly will not be holding an I/O event in any capacity this year. (1/3)
— Google Developers (@googledevs) March 20, 2020
Both Microsoft and Apple have moved to virtual events for Build and WWDC, respectively. Of course, Microsoft isn"t based in California, and there"s no shelter in place rule in the Seattle area at this time. This could affect WWDC though, although that event is scheduled to take place a bit later, in June.
Google I/O isn"t being postponed either. As said in the tweet, this event will not be held at all this year.