More and more companies are signing up for the most significant smartphone conference in the world. Recently chip maker Intel and provider NTT have announced that they will skip the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona for a year.
They do this for fear of the coronavirus.
Amazon, LG, Sony, Ericsson and Nvidia had already withdrawn earlier. Other companies will come but on a smaller scale. The Mobile World Congress will continue as usual.
People from Wuhan and environs, where the outbreak began and the coronavirus is still raging, are not welcome. People from the rest of China must prove that they have not been to China in the two weeks before the congress. Visitors are temperature-controlled.
The Mobile World Congress will be held from 24 to 27 February.
The fair attracts 100,000 visitors each year, who marvel at the latest gadgets from 2,400 exhibitors. The congress is significant for large companies.
For example, last year the Chinese Huawei in Barcelona unveiled its first foldable phone, the Mate X. This year the congress will focus on 5G internet, artificial intelligence, smart devices and big data.
