The GSMA, the organizers behind the world’s biggest mobile tech show, Mobile World Congress (MWC), announced earlier this year that it plans to make this year’s edition of MWC Barcelona an in-person event. Following its announcement, some exhibitors and partners have disclosed that they will not be attending the event which will begin on June 28. That list has now grown to include Google.

The tech giant put out a statement that it will not be attending this year’s edition of MWC due to its current COVID-19 travel restrictions and protocols. The official statement says that it (Google) will continue to work together with the GSMA and support its partners through virtual opportunities. Google added that it will attend the 2022 edition of the event.

Google’s announcement comes weeks after Sony Mobile and Oracle, and telecom giants – Nokia and Ericsson, announced that they will not be attending MWC Barcelona 2021. We won’t be surprised if more exhibitors pull out as the event draws closer.

It appears the organizers’ measures for the event are not satisfactory enough for exhibitors, so they would rather not take the risk. The GSMA’s measures include reducing the number of attendees from 100,000 to 50,000, requiring a negative COVID-19 test result from attendees that was done 72 hours before their arrival, touchless registration process, mandatory masks, and regular disinfection of stands, product samples, and audio-visual equipment.

MWC Barcelona 2021 is scheduled to hold between June 28 and July 1.