Coronavirus jolts tech firms: Facebook cancels F8 conference; Microsoft, Apple warn investors - CNET

A new coronavirus is spreading.

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The novel coronavirus continues to wreak havoc in the global technology industry. Many companies have shut factories and banned business-related travel and major industry events like Facebook's F8, the Geneva Motor Show and Mobile World Congress continue to be called off because of the outbreak.

COVID-19 was discovered in the Wuhan region of China's Hubei province late last year and has symptoms similar to those of pneumonia. It was first reported to the World Health Organization on Dec. 31, with Chinese scientists linking the disease to a family of viruses that includes SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome). The disease has killed more than 3,000 people, and more than 90,000 people have been infected in more than 60 countries.

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Here's how the outbreak is affecting some of the biggest names in technology.

Facebook

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Apple

• Says it will miss its quarterly revenue guidance because of the effects of the coronavirus.
• Temporarily shuttered all of its 42 stores in mainland China, one of its biggest and most important markets; closed its corporate offices and contact centers in China.
• Has been forced to seek alternative sources for parts after suppliers in Wuhan closed because of the outbreak in that city.

Google

Microsoft

• Warned investors that revenue in the business segment that includes its Windows operating system and Surface devices would likely miss earlier forecasts.

Twitter

Amazon

Foxconn

Airbnb

Uber

• Temporarily suspended roughly 240 user accounts in Mexico to prevent the spread of coronavirus after those users had come in contact with two drivers possibly exposed to the virus.

Tesla

• Closed its new plant in Shanghai for a planned week and a half after the Chinese government told private companies to temporarily cease operations.
• Warned investors that the shutdown may "slightly" affect first-quarter profits.

Nintendo

Industry events

Several prominent industry events were canceled or due to concerns over the coronavirus. They included:

Also, the annual Game Developers Conference, originally scheduled to take place March 16-20 in San Francisco, has been postponed to an unspecified date after exhibitors like Amazon, Microsoft, Epic Games, Sony, EA and Facebook dropped out. The annual cybersecurity RSA Conference did take place last week as scheduled in San Francisco, but major exhibitors like IBM, Verizon and AT&T Cybersecurity back out from attending. 

CNET's Corinne Reichert, Ben Fox Rubin, Jackson Ryan, Shara Tibken, Lynn La, Sean Szymkowski, Dara Kerr, Queenie Wong, Oscar Gonzalez, Dan Ackerman, Stephen Shankland, Chris Paukert and Edward Moyer contributed to this report. Originally published in January, this story is updated as new information becomes available.

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