Mobile World Congress held on as long as it could last year before pulling the plug but seems adamant that 2021’s MWC will go ahead. Sadly, Google has joined Nokia, Sony and other smaller exhibitors and pulled out of the in-person portion of the show.

Google is the latest and largest exhibitor to cancel its appearance at the world’s largest mobile phone conference. This doesn’t put the cut-down in-person event in doubt, but another handful of attendees cancelling on the GSMA might scupper the international show.

Goodbye Google

The search company issued a statement, saying, “Following our current COVID-19 travel restrictions and protocols, Google has made the decision to not exhibit at Mobile World Congress this year. We will continue to collaborate closely with GSMA and support our partners through virtual opportunities. We look forward to this year’s activities and seeing you in Barcelona in 2022.”

At present, the GSMA’s Mobile World Congress event is set to go head from 28 June to 1 July this year. It won’t draw its usual 100,000 or so attendees, however. The association is expecting 40,000 to 50,000 visitors from all over the world to travel through to Barcelona this year. Which, for the record, we still reckon is a terrible idea — even if the event’s COVID prevention measures are spot-on, which they’re likely to be.

Source: The Verge