LG Electronics is the first company to announce it will not attend Mobile World Congress in Barcelona later this month, in order to limit the risk of exposure to the coronavirus. Organisers of the mobile conference said the event will still go ahead, with recommendations such as no handshakes among participants.
LG said it decided to withdraw "with the safety of its employees, partners and customers foremost in mind". The decision removes the risk of exposing hundreds of LG employees to international travel, which has already become more restrictive as the virus continues to spread across borders, the company said.
In lieu of its participation in MWC, LG will be holding separate events in the near future to announce its 2020 mobile products. The company traditionally announces a new flagship and mid-range smartphones at the event.
No ZTE press conference
ZTE told the Verge that it was cancelling its press conference at MWC. This is partly due to practical issues like travel and visa delays, a spokesperson said, noting that some people already weren’t going to make it to Barcelona in time. Furthermore, the Chinese company said they "simply don’t want to make people uncomfortable" with concerns of spreading the virus.
Separately, ZTE issued a press release saying it will still have a presence at the show and showcase new 5G devices in Barcelona. After unveiling its first 5G smartphone at last year's event, it will present a new-generation 5G ZTE Axon smartphone this year, as well as mobile broadband products such as 5G CPE and a 5G module at Mobile World Congress 2020. In addition, ZTE said it will introduce its latest ZTE Blade product.
ZTE said in a tweet that it would ensure any China-based employees attending MWC had no symptoms of the virus for two weeks before the event. Senior leaders will be "isolated in Europe" for the two weeks prior to MWC, and staff at the company's booth will be predominantly from Europe or other countries outside China.
The GSMA said the event will go ahead as planned. The organiser is implementing measures such as increased cleaning and disinfectant programmes across areas with numerous touch points, such as stairs, catering areas, toilets and touch screens, as well as increased medical support on site. It will also conduct an awareness campaign for staff and visitors, and hotels and restaurants in Barcelona.
Participants will be recommended to not shake hands, and microphones will be changed between each speaker at presentations.
