Microsoft Build Developer Conference Will Be Virtual This Year Due To Coronavirus

Coronavirus has spread worldwide and has quite an impact on the tech industry. The MWC 2020 event along with many other such events were canceled for the same. Now, Microsoft's biggest event is also affected by the COVID-19 virus. The Microsoft Build Developer Conference will be held virtually, a company spokesperson announced.

Microsoft Build Conference Goes Digital

As per the company's schedule, the tech giant was planning on holding the annual developer conference in Seattle from May 19-21. But due to the coronavirus pandemic, Microsoft has decided to make it a "digital event".

The Microsoft statement for the event read: "The safety of our community is a top priority. In light of the health safety recommendations for Washington State, we will deliver our annual Microsoft Build event for developers as a digital event, in lieu of an in-person event. We look forward to bringing together our ecosystem of developers in this new virtual format to learn, connect and code together. Stay tuned for more details to come."

Microsoft Build is canceled as an in-person event. Major bummer BUT we will make it awesome. I promise.

"In light of the health safety recommendations for Washington State, we will deliver our annual Microsoft Build event for developers as a digital event...”

— Scott Hanselman (@shanselman) March 13, 2020

The Microsoft Build conference is one of the biggest events that largely focus on developers. The annual conference reveals the various changes, updates, and more on the Windows, Office Suite, and other software services. The 2020 Build conference is expected to reveal more about Microsoft's dual-screen plan, for both Android and Windows 10X.

Coronavirus Effect

Microsoft isn't the only one moving its event to a digital platform, but there are many companies following suit or even canceling their events. The Mobile World Congress was canceled for the first time in history due to the deadly virus. Google is also thinking of canceling the I/O developer event, which was expected to launch the next Pixel flagship.

Most of the summer developer conferences are platforms for big keynotes and announcements. This is also the time where developers meet engineers and others in the field and mingle with each other. Moving an entire three-four-day conference to a virtual platform is going to be difficult and it remains unknown how Microsoft or other companies will make it work.