Google I/O is officially canceled. Like, really canceled. Google has announced that not only will it not host an in-person conference, but that it will also not be holding an event “in any capacity” due to the “shelter-in-place” orders currently imposed throughout California.
“Right now, the most important thing all of us can do is focus our attention on helping people with the new challenges we all face. We’ll all continue to do everything we can to help our communities stay safe, informed, and connected,” Google said in a tweet from its Google Developers account. “Please know that we remain committed to sharing ongoing Android updates with you through our developer blogs and community forums.”
The company is offering more information about I/O in a FAQ, which makes it very clear that there won’t even be an online event and that it’s not simply postponing I/O.
The company is making accommodations for those who have already registered for the event. It says that any guests who have registered for I/O will automatically get an invitation for Google I/O 2021.
Previously, Google had canceled the in-person event, but said that it would be moving the event online. The online event was presumably canceled due to the fact that holding such an event at that scale would still require at least some people to be in close proximity with each other.
It’s currently unclear if and when Google will announce the products and changes it was going to announce at Google I/O, however, it’s likely that it will publish videos on YouTube and press releases. Google typically offers more details about its next version of Android, updates to Google Assistant, and more at Google I/O. It also often details new hardware, though Pixel phones have traditionally been unveiled at a dedicated hardware event in October. It’s currently unknown if that event will go ahead, though Google is likely waiting to assess the situation surrounding coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, closer to the event.
“Please know that we remain committed to finding other ways to share platform updates with you through our developer blogs and community forums,” said the company in its FAQ.
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