Google canceled its annual developer I/O conference due to coronavrius concerns

Google announced Tuesday that it it’s canceling its annual developer I/O conference.  The tech giant said the cancellation is due to concerns over the novel coronavirus that has caused worldwide disruption. The event was set to be held at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California, from May 12-14.

In an announcement on Google I/O website, the company said the following: “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.”

Google said all the attendees who have purchased tickets to I/O 2020 will receive a full refund by March 13, 2020. “If you don’t see the credit on your statement by then, please reach out to io@google.com. Guests who have registered for I/O 2020 will not need to enter next year’s drawing and will be automatically granted the option of purchasing an I/O 2021 ticket,” the statement reads.

Google said it’s looking for ways to “evolve” the conference, presumably with digital-only and live streamed sessions.