Apple making a camera is not a crazy idea, actually it's pretty damn smart. Here are some realities:
The iPhone is not killing the P&S camera, it's killing the crap P&S camera. Canon, Nikon, Fuji and the like still sell lots of P&S and bridge cameras. Why? Because they do things the iPhone camera can't do. Things like optical zoom, adjustable shutter speeds etc, just aren't physically possible on a phone camera.
One thing I consistently here from my photography enthusiast friends is "why can't my camera have a screen like the iPhone?" it's a valid complaint, and an apt observation. A retina display viewfinder on a real camera would be pretty awesome, don't even try to pretend otherwise.
Is the science of photography complicated? No, it isn't. But trying to figure out the various settings and ridiculous menus and controls that come on most digital cameras is a nightmare.
Why can't I just plug my camera in to a charger when the batteries are dead? Why do I need to buy rechargeable batteries or put the battery in a cradle or some other such nonsense?
An iPhone or iPad are tied right in to the apple ecosystem, a digital camera is not.
So, is there room for improvement? Miles. Is there a market? Yup, a big one--$60+ Billion annually.
Here's another thing, Tim Cook said at D10 that he would love to make products in the US. When asked if it could happen, he said maybe, not ruling it out like his predecessor. A camera could be the perfect product to do this with. Apple already gets glass and processors for iOS devices in the US. Optics would likely be imported ready to install. Assembly could be done domestically for a more limited product like this one.
This makes sense for another reason too. Currently, if relations between the US and China were to deteriorate--which is entirely plausible--Apple's production capabilities would be destroyed. Initiating a domestic supply chain makes a lot of sense, and this product would allow them to do it without scaring their Asian manufacturing partners.
The iPhone is the ultimate convergence device, and while exceedingly cool in many ways, proves Cook's point about convergence products not being ideal. Here you have a phone, a computer/web browser, a camera, a music player and a gps navigation/mapping device. The problem is that it doesn't do any of those things as well as a dedicated device does. For the phone & music player portion it's certainly adequate, but as a computer, browser and camera (though impressive for its size) it's woefully lacking in comparison to dedicated devices.
Is theniohone camera good? Yes. Would a dedicated product that utilizes the strengths of it, combined with the ability to correct its weaknesses be much better? You bet it would. Will Apple build it? Who knows...
The iPhone is not killing the P&S camera, it's killing the crap P&S camera. Canon, Nikon, Fuji and the like still sell lots of P&S and bridge cameras. Why? Because they do things the iPhone camera can't do. Things like optical zoom, adjustable shutter speeds etc, just aren't physically possible on a phone camera.
One thing I consistently here from my photography enthusiast friends is "why can't my camera have a screen like the iPhone?" it's a valid complaint, and an apt observation. A retina display viewfinder on a real camera would be pretty awesome, don't even try to pretend otherwise.
Is the science of photography complicated? No, it isn't. But trying to figure out the various settings and ridiculous menus and controls that come on most digital cameras is a nightmare.
Why can't I just plug my camera in to a charger when the batteries are dead? Why do I need to buy rechargeable batteries or put the battery in a cradle or some other such nonsense?
An iPhone or iPad are tied right in to the apple ecosystem, a digital camera is not.
So, is there room for improvement? Miles. Is there a market? Yup, a big one--$60+ Billion annually.
Here's another thing, Tim Cook said at D10 that he would love to make products in the US. When asked if it could happen, he said maybe, not ruling it out like his predecessor. A camera could be the perfect product to do this with. Apple already gets glass and processors for iOS devices in the US. Optics would likely be imported ready to install. Assembly could be done domestically for a more limited product like this one.
This makes sense for another reason too. Currently, if relations between the US and China were to deteriorate--which is entirely plausible--Apple's production capabilities would be destroyed. Initiating a domestic supply chain makes a lot of sense, and this product would allow them to do it without scaring their Asian manufacturing partners.
The iPhone is the ultimate convergence device, and while exceedingly cool in many ways, proves Cook's point about convergence products not being ideal. Here you have a phone, a computer/web browser, a camera, a music player and a gps navigation/mapping device. The problem is that it doesn't do any of those things as well as a dedicated device does. For the phone & music player portion it's certainly adequate, but as a computer, browser and camera (though impressive for its size) it's woefully lacking in comparison to dedicated devices.
Is theniohone camera good? Yes. Would a dedicated product that utilizes the strengths of it, combined with the ability to correct its weaknesses be much better? You bet it would. Will Apple build it? Who knows...
