'Coronavirus' Is Affecting The Tech Industry & It's Proof How Much We Rely On Chinese Products
As much as we discuss the impact of Coronavirus on businesses that are relevant to us, it's equally important to understand that there are people who are suffering and going through a lot to prevent the virus from getting out of the province. Let's not get caught up in the moment and forget that all that. © Reuters If there's one sector that's experiencing a severe impact because of Coronavirus, then it's got to be technology. From closing down offices and manufacturing hubs to pulling out of tech events, we've been seeing a lot of repercussions.
It's obviously not possible to put it in words about what people are going through in China right now and how it's affecting everything. But if there's one thing which is clear now, then it's the fact that we rely a lot on China and the products coming out of their country.
Since the companies are shut for in the country, including some offices in Hong Kong, it also severely affecting the production in the facilities. As many of the products that we use on a daily basis are produced in China, experts are warning the consumers to expect shortages when it comes to smartphones, accessories, cars and other tech products. © Reuters Both Foxconn and Pegatron sites in China are closed so you can expect delays in the production of iPhones and AirPods. For those of you who don't know, these two manufacturing plants are the ones that are responsible for nearly all of the world's iPhones.
Similarly, Facebook has also stopped taking orders for its new Quest VR headset and cited the outbreak for the delay. The ASUS ROG Phone 2 is also one of the products affected due to the outbreak. ASUS has warned that the device won't be available at all until further notice. Here, check it out - An open letter to our fans whoâve been waiting to buy the #ROGPhoneII. Thank you for your patience. #WorshippedByGamers #LovedByTechGurus pic.twitter.com/PgtjaojHOa â ASUS India (@ASUSIndia) February 1, 2020
And if the word from the folks over at the South China Morning Post is something to go by, then we can also expect to see production delays of devices from brands like Oppo, Xiaomi, Lenovo, and Huawei. The situation is not as severe for brands that don't rely on components from Hubei.
Even a lot of new products that were expected to ship in early February have now been delayed, even indefinitely in some cases. It includes the Nintendo Switch console, games, accessories including the Animal Crossing edition. The MWC & Other Event EscapeIt's been very shocking to see one of the biggest conferences in the world has been seeing withdrawal from a lot of companies. Yes, the Mobile World Conference in Barcelona will be seeing a lot less attendance this year. Companies like LG Electronics, ZTE, and Ericsson have all pulled out this year citing the Coronavirus outbreak.
There's no denying that places of interest like these events are the breeding ground for such viruses. There's definitely a potential risk of a further disease outbreak. © Reuters That being said, the WHO hasn't directed to cancel global conferences like MWC. And on top of that, the GSMA is also taking all the necessary measures that it can to keep the show floor safe and sanitized for the attendees.
In addition to MWC, Huawei has also postponed its developersâ conference. It was scheduled to happen now, but it's now been postponed until the end of March. And when it comes to gaming, week 2 of the major League of Legends tournament has also been indefinitely delayed. The same is the case with Overwatch League matches. © Reuters Both the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X might also get delayed due to Coronavirus. So, yes, it's safe to say that a lot of things are affected due to the outbreak. And it only goes to show how much we rely on China for our needs, at least when it comes to tech. So far, more than 800 people across multiple nations have lost their lives due to the virus outbreak. We really hope the situation goes back to being normal in China and the infected people safely recover.
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