MWC 2020 is almost upon us, and we are expecting to see tons of new devices from several OEMs. However, the latest outbreak of the coronavirus has made some of these companies cancel their participation in the year’s largest smartphone show.

The first company to announce that it wasn’t going to attend MWC 2020 was ZTE. They sent a statement to The Verge, and the guys over at Android Central confirmed this news thanks to a ZTE spokesperson. ZTE was supposed to have a press conference during this year’s MWC. However, the coronavirus wasn’t the only reason why they won’t show up. The main reason is that travel and visa delays weren’t going to make their appearance possible.

LG, on the other hand, sent a press release to media outlets, where they announced that they weren’t going to attend MWC 2020 due to safety concerns of the coronavirus outbreak. They want to prevent the needless exposure of hundreds of LG employees to international travel, as most health experts have advised. LG will still reveal its new 2020 smartphone lineup in a separate event soon.

GSM Association, the organizers of MWC, has also released a statement today. They say that they will keep on working to deliver the show and that they are taking extra precautions for attendees. These precautions include an increase of cleaning and disinfection areas of the trade show that include catering areas, surfaces, handrails, bathrooms, and more. They will also have increased medical support and even asking people to adopt a “no handshake” policy while at the event.

Source Android Central

Via The Verge