Coronavirus: Apple to Hold Annual Developers Conference 'Online', Closes Stores Outside China

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Apple has announced on friday 13th March, 2020 that its annual developers conference will be an 'online' only event in June, 2020.



The annual developers conference scheduled to hold in San Jose, California, in June, 2020 was moved online because of “current health situation”, as reported by Reuters.

Apple’s annual conference typically attracts more than 5,000 attendees. The company said in a statement that it would commit $1 million to local San Jose organizations to offset associated revenue loss as a result of the new online format.

Earlier On Monday, 9th March, 2020 officials in Santa Clara County where San Jose is located banned gatherings of 1,000 people or more for at least three weeks. Also on Wednesday, 11th March, 2020 the office of Governor Gavin Newsom of California banned all gatherings of more than 250 people in the state through the end of March.

Apple is the latest largest technology company to cancel or move its software developers conference online, following the steps of Facebook, Microsoft Corp and Alphabet Inc’s (Google's parent company).

All Apple Stores Outside China Closed Due to Covid-19


Meanwhile, Apple is closing all its stores across the world outside of China for the next two weeks (until March 27) to reduce the risk of the coronavirus from spreading.

The guardian reported that The technology giant, which has hundreds of shops worldwide including dozens in the UK, announced it was shutting outlets to minimise the risk of the disease’s transmission.

As the virus engulfs the world, the firm’s chief executive, Tim Cook, confirmed the closures adding that “we must do all we can to prevent the spread of Covid-19”.

The iPhone maker’s online store will remain open as well as its “Apple Store” app.

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