On CE - For Dealers, Distributors and OEMs of Consumer Electronics throughout EMEA

IFA Berlin should still happen in 2020, but following German legislation banning all events with over 5000 participants until 24 October it will involve what organisers gfu and Messe Berlin describe as an "innovative new concept."

The organisers say they have been discussing the development, not to mention a range of alternative concepts, for the past few weeks. They fail to actually detail what such concepts entail, but say IFA 2020 will still deliver a global showcase for technology innovation, as well as a meeting place for brands, manufacturers, retailers and the media.

Motorola follows on years making mid-range smartphones with a device aimed firmly at the flagship category-- the Edge+, a handset promising "speed, power and the ultimate 5G performance."

Based around the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 platform, the Edge+ is a 6.7-inch number with a display set at a cinematic 21:9 screen ratio. The "Endless Edge" display wraps nearly 90-degrees around both sides of the device, and handles HDR10+ content and a 90Hz refresh rate. Also found inside the device are 12GB DDR5 RAM, 256GB storage (expandable via microSD card) and a big 5000mAh battery the company claims powers up to 2 full days of use on a single charge. The battery offers both wired and wireless charging, and can even charge other devices through wireless power sharing. The body is IP54 water-repellent, and includes a 3.5mm jack together with a pair of Waves-tuned speakers.

Polar announces what it describes at the ultimate sport watch for use in the great outdoors-- the Grit X, a smartwatch pairing long battery life and a focus on performance and nutrition in a tough and lightweight design.

The Grit X features US military-grade standard (MIL-STD-810G) construction while weighing just 64g. Polar says it offers up to 40 hours of continuous training (with all features activated) on a single charge, or up to 100 hours via multiple power save options. A Hill Splitter feature automatically detects uphill and downhill segments, and delivers appropriate ascent/descent training reports, while a FuelWise assistant lets one know when they should eat and drink during long training sessions.

OnePlus smartphones appear to be not doing too well in European markets, as Engadget reports the company has announced "significant redundancies" across many regional offices, including the UK, France and Germany.

According to "sources close to the matter," OnePlus has downsized regional offices by as much as 80%, leaving skeletal teams of "around three people" in some countries. The company has already done something similar in other European offices earlier last year, with the downsizing (and eventual complete laying off) of teams in Spain and Italy, followed by "large turnover" of UK staff.

In turn OnePlus confirms it is streamlining operations in Europe through an official forum post by European Head of strategy Tuomas Lampen. The post states the company is making "organisational changes" in Germany France and the UK, leading to the firing of 20 employees in the three markets. However the company also plans to relocate staff in other European offices, and is also looking to hire more employees in the Nordic region and Benelux.