Samsung could skip IFA 2020 due to health risks

IFA 2020, Europe's largest technology trade fair, will be held in a semi-physical format and closed to the public from September 3 to 5, where Samsung traditionally launched its Galaxy Note until recently. And for those who walked through the halls of the Messe Berlin complex hosting the IFA, the Samsung stand was always particularly impressive with its gigantic installations.

• Read also: IFA 2020: physical event maintained but closed to the public

But this year, Samsung is reported to be passing on this great appointment as a precaution against the health risks related to Covid-19. This is, in any case, what the specialized site SamMobile reported on Tuesday evening, June 30, quoting a South Korean publication, Edaily.

According to the South Korean media, an official from Samsung Electronics reportedly said that "given the external conditions such as the Covid-19, we inevitably decided not to participate in the IFA this year".

It's just not worth it: Samsung avoids large gatherings

The health risks would, therefore, be the reason given by Samsung for its non-participation in the IFA 2020, which however has not yet been officially confirmed. The risk of sending hundreds of its executives to Germany could far outweigh the potential reward of participating in the show.

Especially since Samsung had the largest booth at previous editions of the show. But the new format of the IFA 2020, designed to cope with social distancing measures, would have meant less visibility for the manufacturer anyway.

Indeed, the IFA 2020 will have a physical part with some stands reserved for professionals and journalists only. A maximum of 1,000 people per day will be able to attend this physical show. For the rest, the keynotes will be streamed on a single stage, a single exhibition site. We are therefore far from the 6,000 square meters of the City Cube usually allocated to the Samsung booth, also called the Galaxy Square.

Especially since Samsung, as already explained, no longer reserves its big announcements for the IFA show and prefers to unveil them during its own Samsung Unpacked events. The next one is scheduled for August 5 this year. Announcements regarding the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2, Galaxy Note 20, and Galaxy Z Flip 5G are expected.

It remains to be seen how the IFA organization will bounce back from the loss of such a major big player. Maybe the hole left by Samsung will give more room for other manufacturers to express themselves. One thinks in particular of Huawei, which has been a regular participant at the show for the past few years.

Via: Sam Mobile Source: Edaily