Anyone predict Apple Digital Camera revival?
Hey there,
I'm a recent switcher, so while I'm old enough to remember Apple's attempt at digital cameras with their "QuickTake" series, which was discontinued in 1997, I guess since I was still a brainwashed Windows zombie back then, I never even heard of it till I randomly saw a reference to it in my iLife book today which got me thinking.
Anyway, did a little reading on it...seems interesting, and was just wondering if anyone here thinks that now with Apple's introduction into the mobile phone market, TV market (well, sort of at least w/ Apple TV), and dropping the "computers" from their name, that maybe Apple will give another attempt at making a camera?
I personally think it would be a great idea. Obviously, they'd probably have to outsource their R&D to a dedicated optics compnay, like Fuji, or Kodak, or whoever, but on the UI end of things, I can't think of a better place to improve usablility than digital cameras. They can be absolute nightmares when it comes to actually being able to utilize some of their advanced features (unless you're a digicam pro - which I am certainly not!
) and with seamless integration with iPhoto and/or Aperture, I think that would be a really cool marriage of products to finally make digital photography easy for the rest of us
. I'm not tech savvy enough to really speculate about all the details of how this would work out, but I thought I'd throw it out there and see if anyone else has given thought to this and what may come out of it if Apple did decide to reenter the digital camera market.
Any ideas?
I'm a recent switcher, so while I'm old enough to remember Apple's attempt at digital cameras with their "QuickTake" series, which was discontinued in 1997, I guess since I was still a brainwashed Windows zombie back then, I never even heard of it till I randomly saw a reference to it in my iLife book today which got me thinking.
Anyway, did a little reading on it...seems interesting, and was just wondering if anyone here thinks that now with Apple's introduction into the mobile phone market, TV market (well, sort of at least w/ Apple TV), and dropping the "computers" from their name, that maybe Apple will give another attempt at making a camera?
I personally think it would be a great idea. Obviously, they'd probably have to outsource their R&D to a dedicated optics compnay, like Fuji, or Kodak, or whoever, but on the UI end of things, I can't think of a better place to improve usablility than digital cameras. They can be absolute nightmares when it comes to actually being able to utilize some of their advanced features (unless you're a digicam pro - which I am certainly not!
) and with seamless integration with iPhoto and/or Aperture, I think that would be a really cool marriage of products to finally make digital photography easy for the rest of us . I'm not tech savvy enough to really speculate about all the details of how this would work out, but I thought I'd throw it out there and see if anyone else has given thought to this and what may come out of it if Apple did decide to reenter the digital camera market.Any ideas?
Comments
Apple should make a camera based off of the new fast CMOS processors. It should be able to take great single shots but in a pinch you should be able to capture HD video on these cameras as well.
Canon just announced something slick like this.
http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/21/c...-and-hd-video/
Perhaps they could use AVC encoding so that captured video playsback in QT7 without a hit and can be editited in iMovie and up.
Clearly Apple cannot just come out with a camera. It has to do more.
Was it Kodak or Fisher Price that made those QuickTake cameras for Apple?
Digital cameras were a novelty back then.
I do, however, wish that Canon would get Apple's input into user interface design when making its cameras. I find that most of today's digital cameras work like ugly PCs. They have that same clunky interface.
Can't you imagine a DSLR designed by Jonathan Ive?
Sincerely,
Jaddie
But...that was before the revolutionary Steve Jobs return (also according to the same article) and Apple's design strategy, along with the improvements in digital camera technology, would ensure that such a fisasco would never be sold in an Apple Store again. But something more in line with their current design philosophy, coupled with their genius user interface could really do a lot for the digicam markent, at least in my opinion.
I think it would go a lot like the iPhone in that sense...meaning not neccessarily introducing absolutely revolutionary technology that's never been seen before, but rather using tecnology in a more intuitive and initgrated way that nobody's manage to pull off yet - leaving most of the potential in the digital photography world unusable by the average consumer. For starters, I'd really like to see bluetooth and wi-fi capable cameras finally end silly USB connections when you only need to upload a few pictures. Also, in-camera editing has been done, but have you ever tried to really do anything with it? It's horrendous! But with a better user interface, it would be much easier to do things like resize photos, do photo stiching, and even special affects. I could see this really working well w/ the iLife suite, especially when keeping in mind the inevitable improvements in iLife '07 and future generations. Anyway, i know it's a long shot, but considering how much of Apple's market share has to do with creative uses, like photo and video editing, I think it would make sense for them to enter the hardware market, at least on some level, maybe like Jaddie mentioned.
Of course if you want to look at it like that, the iPhone is a digital camera with phone, internet, and music features as well.
A basic digicam with a camera with a simple name, something like Canon presents the Apple Click.
(10 million iPhones expected to be sold in 2008
So don't expect an Apple branded television, a digital camera, an ordinary (non smart) phone, a printer, scanner, DVR or USBhub.
Those markets are too crowded, with small profit margins and pretty good solutions already in place or already bought by its potential customers.
Apple can't really improve or compete without losing money.
Apple can compete with a smartphone though because the current smartphone offering sucks.
They cannot compete like that in the DSC realm with to much very good and/or cheap competitors.
So don't expect an Apple branded television, a digital camera, an ordinary (non smart) phone, a printer, scanner, DVR or USBhub. Those markets are too crowded, with small profit margins and pretty good solutions already in place or already bought by its potential customers.
I think Apple might enter the DVR space through its AppleTV, besides that I agree with you. While I recall the similiar "too crowded a market" calls with the iPod, I feel that they are right this time because digital cameras really aren't that hard to use. The iCamera would need some gui simplication and a "solutions" software (iPhotographer store?) like the iPod and a iTunes.
I feel like the iCamera would be solution without a problem.
Too many other companies making excellent mid-range cameras. I don't see where Apple could make a product that would be so much better.
Now, iPhoto, on the otherhand.... excellent tool for us amateurs.
Yes, it is only 2mp but we can expect that to get better.
Apple will not compete in markets it doesn't think it can make a nice profit and/or sell a lot of its hardware.
(10 million iPhones expected to be sold in 2008
So don't expect an Apple branded television, a digital camera, an ordinary (non smart) phone, a printer, scanner, DVR or USBhub.
Those markets are too crowded, with small profit margins and pretty good solutions already in place or already bought by its potential customers.
Apple can't really improve or compete without losing money.
Apple can compete with a smartphone though because the current smartphone offering sucks.
They cannot compete like that in the DSC realm with to much very good and/or cheap competitors.
Ditto,
I think a lot of people believe Apple is going to become the next Sony. I doubt it.
They will focus on few products that will have high profit margins and specially products that in Apple's view could become simpler and better (iPhone anyone?). Or revolutionary products that might become the next thing (AppleTV? maybe)
Digital cameras and TVs and many other products out there are excellent already. Why compete?
I much rather have Apple focusing on computers and some consumer electronic products that might make my life better.
on the other hand, simple point and shoot cameras are a market where design - both aesthetic and functional - often wins the sale. We all know Apple is a master of design. And I can just see a lot of people falling in love w/ the "cute" design of an apple camera. Heck, i'd probably buy one. But anyway, i can definately see why it wouldn't exactly be the most lucrative move for Apple right now w/ everything else they have going on.
Besides there are so many other markets that are profitable that are a total mess right now. To single-handedly fix the cell phone market is already a Herculean task. You want to know what is probably coming down the line? Probably more audio products like iPod hi-fis (in multiple sizes) hopefully with built in AirTunes. For the price they should have AirTunes, and hopefully 802.11n so that your network isn't slowed down by g traffic.
Dear Friends
Was it Kodak or Fisher Price that made those QuickTake cameras for Apple?
Digital cameras were a novelty back then.
I do, however, wish that Canon would get Apple's input into user interface design when making its cameras. I find that most of today's digital cameras work like ugly PCs. They have that same clunky interface.
Can't you imagine a DSLR designed by Jonathan Ive?
Sincerely,
Jaddie
I highly disagree!
I bougth a Canon PowerShot SD600 a while back, and it's UI is damn good. Hell, it was one of the few cameras in the store that actually had an ON button I could SEE. I was expecting the UI to suck, just having handled a few cameras before, but absolutely everything was where I expected it to be. The best part, put it in playback mode, plug it into my Mac, turn it on, and it launches iPhoto for me
Sebastian