A new study from IDC shows that camera phones are a "gateway product" for digital cameras, introducting the user to digital photography. Over 30% of camera phone owners plan to purchase a digital camera because they were introduced to digital imaging through a camera phone. IDC called the concept that people are using camera phones to the exclusion of standalone digital cameras a "myth." In addition, the survey reveals that the printing of images from camera phones is on the decline, at one image printed every three months.
Click on the headline of this article for more statistics in the IDC press release.
New IDC Survey Refutes Camera Phone Myth: Camera Phone Use Creates, Not Destroys, Digital Camera Users
A new study from IDC refutes the myth that camera phones will replace digital cameras. This myth is suspect at best, especially since resolutions in camera phones have remained somewhat constant and digital camera pricing has continued to decline. According to IDC's Mobile Imaging Survey, the camera phone is more of a gateway product in the U.S., and creates, rather than destroys digital camera users.
The printing of images captured on camera phones is also on the decline, the IDC survey reveals. Instead of one image being printed on average per month like in 2004, one image is being printed every three months in 2005.
"Home is still the dominant place to print, yet the anemic number of prints supports IDC's theory that end users have more reliable expectations regarding mobile imaging than vendors themselves," said Chris Chute, senior analyst, Worldwide Digital Imaging Solutions and Services.
Other key findings of IDC's Mobile Imaging Survey include the following:
-- The bulk of camera phone owner respondents are between the ages of 25 and 44.
-- The top imaging activities are archiving images for the long-term and sharing through email.
-- Over 30% of camera phone owners plan to purchase a digital camera because they were introduced to digital imaging through a camera phone.
IDC's new report, 2005 U.S. Mobile Imaging Survey, (IDC #33841) is a top-level study of U.S. camera phone owners. The survey focuses on key consumer imaging applications, including quantifying how many images camera phone users capture, delete, print and archive. Analysis of image sharing is brought to light, and trends are identified between camera phone owners who also own a digital camera, and those who do not, so as to determine the impact each device is having on the other.
To purchase this document, call IDC's Sales hotline at 508-988-7988 or email sales@idc.com.
For additional information about IDC's Digital Capture Devices research, please contact Anne-Sophie Dankens at adankens@idc.com.
