Apple and Netflix pull out of South by Southwest over coronavirus concerns

Apple and Netflix have become the latest companies to ditch South by Southwest 2020 amid coronavirus fears, though the event is still expected to proceed as scheduled.

Netflix has canceled all of the screenings and events it had planned for the annual festival in Austin, Texas, The Associated Press reports. The company had been set to screen five of its films, per Deadline. At the same time, Apple is also dropping out of South by Southwest, Variety reports, canceling plans to show several Apple TV+ originals.

Apple and Netflix join a growing list of companies to pull out of South by Southwest amid fears over the spread of the new COVID-19 coronavirus. Amazon Studios, Facebook, Twitter, and more have also ditched plans for the event.

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But South by Southwest is still set to begin on March 13. Austin public health officials said in a press conference on Wednesday that "right now there's no evidence that closing South by Southwest or other activities is going to make this community safer," CNN reports. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and dozens of high-profile speakers are scheduled to attend.

On Monday, the organizers of South by Southwest said they would proceed and are "working closely on a daily basis with local, state, and federal agencies to plan for a safe event."