Apple rumored to enter new collaboration with Canon

Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
Apple is said to be teaming up with Canon in a new partnership related to photography, although details are scant.



Canon builds cameras for both still photography and video, as well as producing copiers printers and other imaging devices. That suggests the "upcoming collaboration" with Apple, noted by CanonRumors, could pertain to Aperture or the upcoming redesign of Final Cut.



Aperture



Apple has won over a new audience of professional and prosumer photographers with Aperture since the opening of the Mac App Store, where the title has remained in the top ten best selling apps since the store launched.



Aperture is currently number one in Top Grossing apps, costing $79.99. That's a steep discount from the $199 retail price that Aperture 3 debuted at last year. Aperture's exclusive spot in the Mac App Store has given it a high volume, alternative retail outlet where it doesn't compete for attention with Adobe's comparable Lightroom.



The new attention (and revenues) that Aperture is getting could promote a new cross promotional collaboration with Canon's cameras.



Final Cut and iMovie



Another potential collaboration with Canon may involve Final Cut, slated for a "dramatic and ambitious" update this spring. Like Aperture, Final Cut hasn't seen a major new reference release since 2009. When Apple releases its next Final Cut package, it's likely to do so in partnership with one or more hardware makers.



Apple reportedly ran into problems in shipping a Final Cut Studio update last year, with the Shake and Motion teams unable to achieve consensus on plans to merge the entire package into a unified user interface that focused on the mainstream market rather than developing a targeted, leading edge niche product.



Apple could also target consumer devices with iMovie features such as the company's iFrame video format, which imports high quality video from cameras quickly without requiring conversion. Canon recently added support for iMovie 8's iFrame video capture on some PowerShot and IXUS branded point and shoot cameras.



Update: In a new Intel press rerelease, Hiroo Edakubo, Group Executive of Canon?s Video Products Group stated, "We are excited about Thunderbolt technology and feel it will bring new levels of performance and simplicity to the video creation market."



MobileMe Photo Stream



A third potential area for collaboration between Apple and Canon pertains to the company's MobileMe cloud services. iOS 4.3 betas contained a new Photo Booth app and mention of Photo Stream, an automatic photo upload service that could upload images and video to the cloud.



Neither feature has yet made it to shipping devices, but will likely do so in the near future. iPad 2 will debut Photo Booth and FaceTime support when it ships on Friday, and scaled down versions of Photo Booth and the Photo Stream service could potentially ship in the next release of iOS due before the major 5.0 version expected this summer, rumored to appear alongside significant new updates in MobileMe.



Canon already supports WiFi enabled SD Cards in some of its cameras. By adding support for the Photo Stream and other MobileMe services, the company could attract the attention of iOS users who already subscribe to MobileMe on their Mac or PC, iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.



AirPlay and AirPrint



Canon could also announce support for iOS 4.3 AirPlay (as Pioneer recently did for its new audio receivers) or AirPrint features (currently limited largely to printers from HP and EFI's Fiery print server).
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 48
    john.bjohn.b Posts: 2,742member
    How about if Canon were to concentrate on optimizing low-light, high ISO images? Nikon is kicking their arses in this area. And a full frame high shutter speed dSLR wouldn't be bad either... (APS-H in 2011? Really?)
  • Reply 2 of 48
    elmcitywebelmcityweb Posts: 109member
    Even though there really aren't any worthwhile details, I'm glad to hear this collaboration is in the works!
  • Reply 3 of 48
    frugalityfrugality Posts: 410member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    AirPlay and AirPrint



    Canon could also announce support for iOS 4.3 AirPlay (as Pioneer recently did for its new audio receivers) or AirPrint features (currently limited largely to printers from HP and EFI's Fiery print server).



    Or, maybe Apple is working with Canon to make over-the-air transfer from a camera to, say, an iPad. Get rid of the camera cable or SD card reader altogether. Same technology as AirPrint, essentially.
  • Reply 4 of 48
    jsvogtjsvogt Posts: 3member
    How about Canon opens their dev kit to remotely control cameras via the iPad since the screen is much larger than a cameras display screen? Maybe within a mobile version of Aperture??
  • Reply 5 of 48
    dluxdlux Posts: 666member
    Hopefully Apple is working with Canon to see that their software and installers don't completely suck.
  • Reply 5 of 48
    macsharkmacshark Posts: 229member
    Bluetooth and/or 802.11 interfaces on Canon cameras.



    In addition to the obvious use case of wireless download of pictures from Canon cameras to Apple devices, the killer application would be the capability to email/post your picture using your phone/iPad by live syncing the Canon camera to the Apple device. This could either be done by enabling a menu option on the Canon camera, or by being able to browse the pictures on the Canon camera using the iPhone/iPad and selection the ones to email/post...
  • Reply 7 of 48
    john.bjohn.b Posts: 2,742member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dlux View Post


    Hopefully Apple is working with Canon to see that their software and installers don't completely suck.



    I LOLed!
  • Reply 8 of 48
    eaieai Posts: 417member
    What about Canon working on the camera components/visual processing hardware in the iPhone? It's an area Apple don't have a massive amount of experience in, and one they may consider important... That said, phone cameras have very different constraints to normal cameras so perhaps Canon's experience wouldn't help much.
  • Reply 9 of 48
    bugsnwbugsnw Posts: 717member
    Apple used to use Canon's engine for their printers. I owned the LaserWriter 8500 and it was a beast of a laser printer. Maybe they'll collaborate and invent high quality lenses that will fit inside Apple's ever thinning mobile line.
  • Reply 10 of 48
    jerseymacjerseymac Posts: 408member
    My Apple store used to sell Canon DV camcorders, back in the day.
  • Reply 11 of 48
    8corewhore8corewhore Posts: 833member
    I wonder if it's related to this....





    http://www.eoshd.com/content/577
  • Reply 12 of 48
    backdocbackdoc Posts: 18member
    I'll be glad when Apple can work/play AVCHD natively. My Windows box at work plays .mts files fine. I recently bought a Panasonic camera that records AVCHD. I just hope that it will be supported by whatever alliance Apple may be working out with Canon.
  • Reply 13 of 48
    ozexigeozexige Posts: 215member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dlux View Post


    Hopefully Apple is working with Canon to see that their software and installers don't completely suck.



    GEEEZZUZZZ - canon (Note: small 'c')



    The same canon that sent more than 50 small businesses broke (Oz slang

    when they sold them some of the first color copiers available - told them they'd make a 'large' (Note: not SMALL) fortune (BTW: - I have 'Lists'

    AND

    when the POS copiers failed (ALL OF THEM - ALL THE CANON COPIERS!)

    Canon was nowwhere to be seen.

    50 Australian businesses went broke within 18 months -

    I have a lonnnnnggggggggggggggggggggg



    M

    E

    M

    O

    R

    Y



    (I think



    BTW - I wasn't involved - just a tech-savy (sort of?) onlooker.
  • Reply 14 of 48
    19841984 Posts: 955member
    Probably just Canon agreeing to make printers compatible with AirPrint.
  • Reply 15 of 48
    mdriftmeyermdriftmeyer Posts: 7,503member
    How about Apple team up with Olympus and Carl Zeiss AG? What about RED? However, doing research with Carl Zeiss AG would suffice.
  • Reply 16 of 48
    mikemikebmikemikeb Posts: 113member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bugsnw View Post


    Maybe they'll collaborate and invent high quality lenses that will fit inside Apple's ever thinning mobile line.



    The concept of a Canon iPhone lens was the first thing I thought of. Sourcing Canon for the lens and sensors in a single order would save a lot on economies of scale.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by John.B View Post


    How about if Canon were to concentrate on optimizing low-light, high ISO images? Nikon is kicking their arses in this area. And a full frame high shutter speed dSLR wouldn't be bad either... (APS-H in 2011? Really?)



    I find APS-H to be really nice with telephoto photographers, esp. those who use the 70-200 zoom lenses. Gets you a little extra reach. Lots of people are willing to get 1.4x extenders that reduce f/stops and affect autofocus performance, and Canon basically gives people the effect for free.



    Canon's camera and lens lineup's better for pro telephoto photography than Nikon. Everything else is generally better with Nikon, though.
  • Reply 17 of 48
    ozexigeozexige Posts: 215member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mdriftmeyer View Post


    How about Apple team up with Olympus and Carl Zeiss AG? What about RED? However, doing research with Carl Zeiss AG would suffice.



    oo ooo



    Yeah RED, RED



    They're the ones 'we' want
  • Reply 18 of 48
    What about a touchscreen interface for Canon? There's been talk about it. The dslr camera could get a lot easier to manage, but after all it's not a heavily necessary feature on a camera.



    I bet it's something to do with software. Maybe the one buys the other? A fusion? The Apple Canon. Canon OS X. Apple 7D. Canon iMac. Apple PowerShot. Apple Magic Lenses... in aluminum!
  • Reply 19 of 48
    mdriftmeyermdriftmeyer Posts: 7,503member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by OzExige View Post


    oo ooo



    Yeah RED, RED



    They're the ones 'we' want



    RED's setup for 4K is stunning both on price and quality. They are going to make it possible for the next wave of Spielberg's, Lucas, Raimes, etc., to make films on an actual budget which I can see breaking through in the Horror and Sci-Fi genres which are both growing long in the tooth.
  • Reply 20 of 48
    razorpitrazorpit Posts: 1,796member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 1984 View Post


    Probably just Canon agreeing to make printers compatible with AirPrint.



    I hopt that's it. I'm a Nikon guy and I don't want to start playing second fiddle to Canon. I don't care if Apple starts selling Canon products, I just hate to see them having an unfair advantage in support/features.
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