Smartphone sales boost camera industry growth

CEBU, Philippines - Global market intelligence companies and industry experts have already expressed concerns that the rise of smartphone sales has slowly outperformed the traditional camera technology.

For instance, American market research firm International Data Corporation has said that the improving quality of cameras available on smartphones could have a significant negative impact on high-end digital camera sales.

But in an interview, Lim Kok Hin, the new president and chief executive officer of Canon Market Philippines, Inc., expressed confidence the digital imaging business in the country is still growing. The Japanese-owned Canon, Inc. is one of the world’s biggest makers of high-end cameras.

While there have been fears that the smartphone generation might be dangerous times for the camera industry, Lim noted the camera market in the Philippines is so far still doing good.

This has highly been driven by continued demand of entry level digital cameras among hobbyists and professionals of photography in the country.

In an advanced country, an average of one household has at least one or two high-end cameras, the firm said.

Lim though admitted the Philippines is way far yet to that state.

Several camera manufacturers have put the blame for collapsing demand and falling revenues on the soaring sales of smartphones, but the Canon executive said the contrary.

He said the smartphone --  a combination of mobile phone, data storage unit, personal computer and camera -- has in fact brought “a novelty” to the art of photography.

The popularity of these mobile devices has allowed people to take more pictures than ever before, thereby contributing to the growth of the field of photography.

“Photography has grown and more people realize that ‘Oh I take good pictures!’”

When asked whether phones imperil the existence of fancy cameras, the CEO immediately reacted, “No honestly, I always say this smartphone is helping the camera business, so don’t confuse that it’s killing the camera business.”

With smartphones, more and more people regularly take, post and share photos to others through social media and the process of doing that gives them pleasure for getting good outputs, he said. Any devices that make people more passionate about photographs should be welcomed.   — (FREEMAN)