When GSMA decided to cancel the Mobile World Congress 2020, many cried foul. The press did not understand why other events continued to be held, while the largest mobile phone fair in the world was the first major event to be canceled due to the happy coronavirus.
Now, it has become clear that, although this measure had a clear impact on the industry and the companies in charge of organizing it, it was more than successful. But what will happen to the MWC 2021? Well, we bring good and bad news.
MWC 2021 will be held, but with fewer staff
It has been Bloomberg who has confirmed that GSMA is working on the next edition of the Mobile World Congress, which would be held at the end of February or the beginning of March. But, it will be a hybrid that will combine the face-to-face with the remote. Main reason the company is laying off 20 percent of its workforce.
The Mobile World Congress represents 80 percent of the GSMA group annual revenue, for which Stephanie Lynch-Habib Chief Marketing Officer of the company has confirmed that a fifth of the company's workforce, which has approximately 1.000 workers, will be laid off.
And the reason is simply a cost cut that they do not look at in the short term, since they estimate that there will be a recovery scenario «at least three years«. As Stephanie has stated, the situation is really tough, and these steps are necessary for the GSMA to continue to function.
In any case, although they have confirmed that there will be MWC 2021, the next edition will be a hybrid where remote presentations and the limitation in terms of number of users at the fair will be notable. As stated by the GSMA executive: «we must face the reality that some will continue to want to participate remotely«. Of course, as always, remotely or in person the team Androidsis will be there to cover the next edition of the Mobile World Congress.