14 DAY TRIAL // Apple does a lot of things well, but there are still plenty of industries where its presence hasn’t been felt yet. Some have speculated that Apple should make cars, while others wouldn’t mind seeing the Cupertino company build a game console. But what about cameras?
Few people have asked this question, likely because there hasn’t been any indication that Apple wants to move into this territory. Though it wouldn’t be farfetched, considering its computing prowess and instant popularity with the masses.
Apple's next new thing?
Every four years or so, Apple rolls out an all-new something. In 2007, Steve Jobs ceremoniously unveiled the iPhone at Macworld. Four years later, he unveiled the iPad. Another four years down the line, CEO Tim Cook announced the Apple Watch. By all accounts, it wouldn’t be too farfetched to witness the introduction of a fresh product in 2018 or even sooner.
Flickr just released the top cameras used on its platform in 2014. In the smartphone category, Apple scored a massive win with four out of five devices being iPhones. The iPhone 5 was the top smartphone camera used on Flickr with 10.6% share. Following it in its footsteps were the iPhone 4S (7.0%), iPhone 4 (4.3%), iPhone 5c (2.0%), and Samsung Galaxy S3 (1.2%).
Care to know how this compares to actual cameras? The Top Camera brand on Flickr in 2014 was Canon with 13.4% share. That’s less than three points ahead of Apple’s iPhone 5. Top DSLR was Canon 7D (2.4) and Top Mirrorless was Olympus E-M5 (4.7%). Cumulatively, Apple’s devices win by quite a margin. The reason? iPhone not only shoots some decent photos, it also lets people instantly share them to Flickr, complete with edits.
Now. Imagine if Apple made a connected iCamera designed by Sir Jonathan Ive with DSLR capabilities, powered by iOS, and fully integrated with the entire Apple ecosystem. How well do you think it would sell, considering Apple’s unrivaled ability to secure the best components, materials, and partners? I’ll bet it would ship more than a few. Let’s not forget this is also a market where Apple would be able to exercise some hefty prices.
Disclaimer
This is a Personal Thoughts piece reflecting the author’s personal opinion on matters relating to Apple and / or the products associated with the Apple brand. This article should not be taken as the official stance of Softpedia on Apple-related matters.