Covid-19: Microsoft to hold all its events online only in CY 2020

Microsoft may host events online only until the first half of 2021.

Microsoft’s events may be hosted online up until 2021. (REUTERS)

Microsoft is moving all its upcoming events in the calendar year 2020 to online due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"In light of the challenges presented by COVID-19, we are adjusting our event calendar and strategy. For the remainder of 2020, we are embracing the opportunity to experiment with new platforms to provide our partners, customers, and developers the highest quality, digital-first experiences," a Microsoft spokesperson told CNET.

The publication says Microsoft may move all the events scheduled in the first half of 2021 to online as well. If the report is to be believed, the next year's Build conference will be a digital event.

Microsoft has already cancelled or shifted some of its events. The annual MVP summit, scheduled to take place in Seattle in March, has been cancelled altogether. The physical events for the Build 2020 developer conference have also been cancelled.

Microsoft, however, may not be alone in moving all its events online. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, many big and small technology conferences were cancelled or moved online.

Some of the notable events cancelled are Mobile World Congress (in February), Apple's annual March event, and Google I/O developer conference (May). Amazon cancelled its re:Mars 2020 AI summit. E3, the world's largest gaming conference, was also cancelled.