IFA 2021 is officially canceled due to 'health uncertainties'

After originally planning a full-scale return this September in Berlin, the organizers of IFA 2021 have announced that this year’s edition of the consumer electronics trade show has been canceled.

IFA 2022 is now the focus

The organizers cited the “rapid emergence of new COVID-19 variants” around the world and “continued uncertainties” about the speed of global vaccine rollout programs for the cancellation.

Per data collected by Bloomberg, over 1.51 billion vaccine doses have been administered globally at an average of around 25 million each day. However, the bulk of these have been distributed across the US, Europe, and China.

In addition to that, part of the Messe Berlin exhibition area, where IFA is hosted each year, is still being used as a vaccination center and emergency hospital. Both are likely to be required for longer than originally expected. With that in mind, IFA 2021 has been canceled and the organizers are now thinking about IFA 2022.

Interestingly, MWC 2021 is still technically happening as an in-person event from June 28 to July 1. Big names like Samsung have pulled out already, though, so a full cancelation in the coming weeks would be far from surprising.