Despite coronavirus concerns, this year’s IFA will still push through in Berlin, but organizers said there will be significant changes to the tech show.
The specific changes in the show’s format, however, remain under wraps.
IFA, which is short for Internationale Funkausstellung, posted through a series of tweets that its 2020 edition will still push through on September 4 until September 9 later this year.
However, with the uncertainties cast by the threat of COVID-19, conference organizers decided that IFA 2020 will be held in an “innovative new concept” in order to ensure safety for everyone involved.
#IFA20: Set for an innovative concept designed for unprecedented times.
IFA Berlin is set to go ahead in 2020, but with an innovative new concept, following the decision by the Berlin government to ban all events with more than 5,000 participants until 24 October 2020.
1/6 pic.twitter.com/MLDvamLXzf— IFA Berlin (@IFA_Berlin) April 21, 2020
Government intervention
IFA is considered by many as the biggest tech show in the European continent.
Held every year in Germany’s capital, Berlin, it is a highly anticipated annual event, not only for consumers, but also for global tech brands and appliance manufacturers looking to unveil their latest products for the first time.
But as of this writing, Germany has the fifth most COVID-19 cases in the world, behind the U.S., Spain, Italy, and France.
In an effort to prevent more infections, the Berlin government has decided to ban all events with over 5,000 attendees, at least until October 24.
Needless to say, the IFA conference, which regularly attracts crowds each and every year, will have to explore other options, if it wants to push through.
Alternative concepts considered
As posted by IFA in its official Twitter page, the organizers behind this year’s event have fully anticipated the Berlin government’s move to ban crowd-drawing conventions this year.
And they are in the process of reviewing all alternative concepts to make sure that IFA 2020 will still go ahead, but not as originally planned.
The organizers of #IFA, gfu and @MesseBerlin, anticipated this development and for several weeks now have been discussing a range of alternative concepts.
Planning is well advanced for a concept that will allow IFA to deliver on its core functions for our industry…
3/6— IFA Berlin (@IFA_Berlin) April 21, 2020
Going “innovative” in 2020
For now, IFA organizers have teased that in light of the ongoing health crisis, they will make use of an “innovative new concept” to make sure that it will still deliver on its promise to highlight the best fresh consumer tech in the world.
While it is true that the specifics of that concept are yet to be made public, it should at least give fans of the tech show something to look forward to in the weeks or months leading up to September.
– as a global showcase for technology innovation and an important meeting place for brands, manufacturers, retailers and media. gfu and Messe Berlin will present the details of its updated concept for IFA 2020 in the near future.
4/6— IFA Berlin (@IFA_Berlin) April 21, 2020
COVID-19’s continuing impact on big events
The list of major tech shows and popular conventions being derailed by the coronavirus continues to grow every week.
Just last week, comics fans had to deal with the news of this year’s Comic-Con being canceled (to resume next year).
And some might still be reeling from the fact that there will be no Mobile World Congress, Google I/O Conference, South by Southwest Festival, Game Developers Conference, and F8 Conference this year.
Featured image courtesy of IFA Berlin