Like many tech giants, Microsoft is dealing with the fallout of Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2020 being cancelled. The world’s largest mobile-focused tech conference was an industrial victim of the Coronavirus outbreak. To make up for having its plans thwarted, Microsoft says it is hosting a Mixed Reality Dev Days event.
Traditionally, Microsoft was not one of the major players at MWC. However, in recent years the company has entered the mixed reality realm. MWC 2020 was going to be a platform for Microsoft to discuss its ongoing plans for Windows Mixed Reality, HoloLens, and related ecosystem.
With MWC shuttered for the year, the company is now hosting its own event. The Mixed Reality Dev Days event will be held just before Microsoft opens the doors on Build 2020 in May.
“It’s official! Save the date for Mixed Reality Dev Days, May 16 & 17 in Redmond,” Microsoft’s Mixed Reality Developer Relations Team confirmed in a tweet yesterday. “We are also doing MR Dev Days Tour this year in Japan and Germany, but dates are still TBD as we search for a venue. Look forward to seeing many of you there this year!”
It's official! Save the date for Mixed Reality Dev Days, May 16 & 17 in Redmond. We are also doing MR Dev Days Tour this year in Japan and Germany, but dates are still TBD as we search for a venue. Look forward to seeing many of you there this year! pic.twitter.com/vlHRAy837q
— Mixed Reality DevRel Team (@MxdRealityDev) February 18, 2020
Build Event
Sure, the Mixed Reality Dev Days won’t fully replace the exposure of MWC. Still, it at least allows Microsoft to show off its MR plans and for us to see what is on the horizon. Interestingly, the Dev Days event could be more informative than MWC because Build is developer focused and not consumer oriented like MWC.
Either way, the event will serve as a nice opener for the wider Build 2020 conference. Speaking of which, Microsoft opened registrations for its event earlier in the month. Back in September, Microsoft confirmed Build 2020 will get underway on May 19 and will run through until May 21.