Apple Joins Facebook, Twitter, TikTok to NOT Attend SXSW 2020

Peter G., Tech Times 05 March 2020, 02:03 pm

Tech Giant, Apple has pulled out from attending the SXSW 2020 festival due to what else, the coronavirus or the COVID-19, which was confirmed by Variety.

What Were They Supposed To Do There

The tech giant was supposed to showcase their three new Apple TV Plus originals in the SXSW 2020 Film Festival, the documentary of Spike Jonze's little escapade called "Beastie Boys Story," and also was supposed to schedule a host discussion of what Apple's "Little America" with creators Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon are now all CANCELLED.

Apple was supposed to be showcase the world premiere of the Jonze-directed "Beastie Boys Story," that features the band members Mike Diamond and Adam Horovitz; an animated musical series named "Central Park" by Loren Bouchard from Bob's Burgers and Josh Gad from Frozen with, of course, Nora Smith also from Bob's Burgers; "Home" was also supposed to be released that is a docuseries that promises a different side of the coin and inside perspective in "the world's most innovative homes."

What Other Companies Backed Ou

Unfortunately, Apple joins the list of companies not coming out to the event, and the list seems to be growing now. Amazon Studios, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Mashable, and Intel are said to not attend as well. Bummer.

What Happens Now?

The organizers of the event have high hopes that the show must go on! The annual music, technology, and entertainment festival, which will be held in Austin, Texas are still going to happen on the dates of March 13 up to 22.

Mark Escott, interim medical director and health authority for Austin Public Health told the press as per sources from the CNN that: "Right now there's no evidence that closing South by Southwest or other activities is going to make this community safer," and also: We're constantly monitoring that situation."

Several calls for the cancellation of the event SXSW 2020 has garnered a petition of almost 50,000 signatures and still going, and Change.org is the one who initiated the plea.

As the coronavirus is slowly spreading its contagion across the United States, the problem would be as to what events out there are still going to continue because the risk may be too great to contain, and there is still no cure as of the time of this writing.

Other Events That Were Recently Cancelled

MipTV, Google I/O, GDC, Facebook's F8 and the biggest and grandest of them all, the Mobile World Congress have all canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak and fears are understandable indeed.

With the coronavirus now having two strains that are more deadlier than ever, it is only safe to assume that there will come a time that no more events would be able to make it past opening if the virus is not contained or cured. We live in a world now that the virus might disrupt our normal lives.