It’s not all doom and gloom, folks. While a lot of companies have pulled out of MWC 2020, looking at those names something might be apparent, especially to you if you’re someone who’s actually been to the show before.
There’s really only a couple of big names that have pulled out. Most of the companies which are no longer attending MWC 2020 have a small presence at the show, and while they will of course be missed, the size of their presence at previous shows means that – from an optics perspective, at least – the impact will be small(ish).
LG, Sony and Ericsson are the three names with the biggest floorplates at the show, while most others have much smaller booths, and not in the places where most people – especially press – spend most of their time.
Three much bigger names, though, have confirmed they’ll still be at MWC 2020 and will be taking sensible precautions to ensure the safety of their staff, attendees and others.
Oppo has no plans to cancel anytime soon
In a statement overnight, Oppo confirmed that its plans to attend MWC in Barcelona remain unchanged. The company says the safety of its employees is a top priority and has now committed to following all of the GSMA’s guidelines in addition to several other preventative measures.
Some of Oppo’s own steps include:
- obligatory self-isolation for all employees traveling from China in Barcelona for 14 days before the event
- Oppo staff will be required to conduct a health condition report daily during this period and throughout MWC itself
Oppo says its press conference venue, meeting room, MWC booth, shuttle transportation, and all showcased devices will be disinfected periodically. All staff and participants will also have their temperature taken before any event and required to use hand sanitizer.
Xiaomi will still showcase new products in Barcelona
Xiaomi published a very similar statement which reiterated plans to attend MWC and showcase its latest smartphones and smart devices. It also noted the importance of the health and safety of employees, partners, and press members.
Xiaomi will:
- guarantee all employees traveling from China show no symptoms and have been out of the country for at least 14 days before their arrival in Barcelona. This protocol also applies to all senior executives scheduled to take part in activities or meetings.
- disinfect its exhibition booth and products on a “frequent basis.”
All staff present in the booth will be from local offices around Europe, although these will also be monitored over the course of 14 days prior to MWC.
