Having originally been scheduled to take place back in June, the organizers of Computex computer trade show decided to postpone the event until the end of September, due to the potential health risks associated with travel during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. After further discussion and consideration, and as the virus has spread globally, the organisers have now decided to cancel entirely the already rescheduled September plans, meaning that there will not be a Computex trade show in 2020.
Last year’s event drew crowds from 171 different countries, and with all the restrictions on international travel, and the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus among attendees, they made the tough but sensible decision to throw in the towel. Perhaps for the best, especially given the success Taiwan has had in containing the spread of the virus, with only 443 confirmed cases, drawing a huge international crowd all to attend one event would be fairly high risk.
We’d usually hope to hear updates from heavy hitters in the world of computer hardware during Computex, with major component manufacturers like AMD, Intel, and Nvidia usually in attendance, and new products detailed from the likes of Asus, MSI, Acer, and others. Despite the cancelation of the physical event, much of the news that would have come out of the show will now instead be delivered through a series of online sessions, with sessions already confirmed for Intel, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, Supermicro, Delta Electronics and BenQ Business Solutions.
Also canceled is the associated event, the InnoVEX 2020 startup showcase. This event was planned to happen alongside Computex, to promote starts from across Taiwan to investors and media. This has also been replaced with an online event, where startups will pitch their new products and technologies over a youtube live stream.
The organizers pledge that the trade show will return next year, with this message of support for everyone affected by the pandemic:
“During this difficult time, the organizers’ heart and sympathy are with those who are affected around the world. In the meantime, stay strong and fight on. After rolling with the punches, the organizers look forward to see you in COMPUTEX 2021 and drive the resilience in the global ICT ecosystem together.”
For now at least, Computex 2021 is scheduled for June 1-5. Let’s hope they don’t need to reschedule a third time.
