We learned last month that IFA 2020 would opt for an "innovative new concept" to its traditional floor show due to the coronavirus pandemic, leading some to think IFA may move to a digital show. But today the conference announced that it's received approval to take place as an in-person event.
IFA 2020 will now happen as a shorter event with strict limits on the number of attendees. Originally scheduled for September 4-9, the event will now take place on September 3-5 and it will be invitation-only.
Essentially, this year's show will be run as four separate events. There will not be more than 1,000 attendees allowed at each event per day. Those four events are the IFA Global Press Conference, IFA Next meets IFA Shift Mobility, IFA Global Markets, and IFA Business, Retail & Meeting Lounges.
IFA says that it's been working with public health authorities in Germany to ensure the health and safety of those who attend its events. They plan to ensure that social distancing, careful crowd control, and other public hygiene measures are all in place.
The show runners also plan to offer "virtual opportunities to be part of the IFA Berlin experience" for those who cannot attend the in-person events.
IFA is typically one of the biggest mobile events of the year, but this year's show will likely be scaled back even if it is now happening as a real-life event. Even if there is an in-person show happening, lots of people will likely be unwilling or unable to travel to a different country, and so we'll likely see fewer big announcements around the early September timeframe that we have in past years.
