Virus forces cancellation of mobile world congress

In an unprecedented move, the world's biggest mobile conference won't happen this year and that could mean delayed phone launches.

CONFERENCEWON'T HAPPEN THIS YEAR -- ANDTHAT COULD MEAN DELAYED PHONELAUNCHES.WORRIES ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUSOUTBREAKPROVED TOO STRONG TO IGNORE.

SOTODAY, THESHOW'S ORGANIZER CANCELED THE2020 MOBILEWORLD CONGRESS IN BARCELONA,SPAIN, SAYING ITWAS "IMPOSSIBLE" TO PROCEED WITHTOO MANY COMPANIESPULLING OUT OF THE EVENT.THE MOVE HAS LEFT COMPANIESSCRAMBLING TO FIGURE OUT THEIRNEXT STEPS.

FOR SOME, IT COULDMEAN HOLDING THEIR OWNEVENTS OR SIMPLY PUTTING OUTPRESS RELEASES TOUNVEIL THEIR NEWEST GADGETS.

AND-- COMPANIES LIKE APPLE,NINTENDO AND TESLA -- HAVE ALLTEMPORARILY HALTED PRODUCTIONCOMPLETELYBECAUSE OF THE VIRUS.NEW DEVELOPMENTS TONIGHT -- THETULARE COUNT