Mobile World Congress (MWC), the world’s biggest mobile technology showcase and launchpad for a renewed 5G-devices push this year, is taking a hit from the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak in China, with two marquee names canceling plans.
The show, operated by mobile industry trade organization GSMA, takes place from Feb. 24 to 27, but at least one global tech giant has already decided to skip it.
South Korea’s LG Electronics Inc is withdrawing from exhibiting at the conference because, it said, most health experts advised against “needlessly” exposing hundreds of employees to international travel.
Shenzhen, China-based ZTE Corp (中興), which makes smartphones and wireless networking equipment, has cited difficulties in traveling out of China while virus-containment restrictions are in place at that country, and so it is canceling its MWC press conference, but still plans to send a delegation.
These companies usually occupy two of the largest, most central exhibition zones at the Fira Gran Via venue, and both were expected to contribute to an industry-wide push to make 5G networking and devices mainstream this year.
ZTE plans to roll out “a wide variety of new 5G devices” and keep its usual exhibition spot.
LG, keen to match compatriot archrival Samsung Electronics Co, maintains an outsize presence at the show even when it does not launch any major new products, and so its absence this year will be obvious to attendees.
Other Asia-based firms are also closely monitoring the coronavirus outbreak and might alter their plans; however, most are sticking to their existing programs.
Lenovo Group Ltd (聯想), parent of Motorola Mobility, said its MWC plans are still under discussion.
Xiaomi Corp (小米) is sending its contingent to Barcelona as soon as possible “and will make necessary adjustment accordingly,” a spokesman said.
Samsung, Oppo Mobile Telecommunications Corp (歐珀), Huawei Technologies Co (華為), Microsoft Corp and MediaTek Inc (聯發科) representatives all said their companies are preparing for MWC as planned.
Several major US technology firms, including Qualcomm Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google, are also scheduled to participate and play big roles at this year’s conference.
On its Web site, the GSMA says it “continues to monitor and assess the potential impact of the coronavirus” on its event and has “implemented many measures to help to mitigate the spread of the virus and is continuing to add other actions regularly.”
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