Google announced they are cancelling the physical/in-person version of their massive developer conference, Google I/O, over concerns with the Coronavirus. This was no surprise, as Facebook, Amazon, and other big tech companies have done the same.
Google wrote:
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.All guests 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 [email protected]. 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.
Over the coming weeks, we will explore other ways to evolve Google I/O to best connect with our developer community.
For additional questions, please contact [email protected].
We are exploring new ways to connect and support our global developer community. Stay tuned.
— Google Developers (@googledevs) March 3, 2020
More info soon → https://t.co/mSTQKlTa90 (2/2)
Many, if not most, of Google employees are now working from home. John Mueller said he is not physically going to conferences, he will instead do them over video conferencing:
Canceled all international travel, and unfortunately there aren't a lot of conferences in Switzerland. VC'ing in it is.
— 🍌 John 🍌 (@JohnMu) March 3, 2020
I've seen numerous reports that Google Ads teams stopped traveling to clients and now do video calls instead:
Anyone else in #ppcchat world getting directly/indirectly impacted by coronavirus? My UK based Google reps just had to cancel our QBR because they are not being allowed to travel for work internationally until further notice.
— Jon Kagan (@JonKagan) March 3, 2020
I personally decided to postpone my vlogging trip to NYC (45 minutes away) today but most people said I should not have:
I have meetings with 6 people in four offices in NYC tomorrow for the vlog - there are coronavirus cases (1 confirmed & bunch quarantined) all around my community here - do I cancel? I feel fine and healthy.
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) March 3, 2020
In any event - I do hope this all settles down soon and we all stay healthy.
Forum discussion at Twitter.
