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PRESS RELEASE: Critical Factors for Growth of Imaging Industry Include Ease-of-Use and Driving Digital Prints, According to Leading Influencers
Traditional Imaging Companies Best Positioned to Benefit from Convergence of Imaging and Information Technology
ROCHESTER, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 23, 2002-- Easy-to-use digital technologies, innovation in film and digital processing, and generating prints from digital images are the most critical growth factors of the imaging industry, according to an Eastman Kodak Company survey of more than seventy leading worldwide trade journalists and industry analysts.
Survey results released in advance of photokina 2002, the world's largest imaging industry trade show and exhibition held from Sept. 25-30 in Cologne, Germany, revealed: - 95 percent of influencers surveyed agree the convergence of imaging and information technology--creating a new industry called infoimaging--is fueling industry growth;
- 76 percent believe technology is still too difficult to use, in particular software for image management and transfer, image quality enhancement and archiving and image/multimedia-friendly PC operating systems;
- 62 percent stated that innovation in film and digital print processing services is a major growth catalyst.
In addition, the majority of survey respondents believe that traditional imaging companies are best positioned for success in providing quality digital printing solutions.
Industry growth catalysts and impediments
Despite the significant advancements made in ease-of-use of digital imaging technology, most industry influencers still believe that more progress is needed to ensure industry growth. In addition, 70 percent cited lower prices of digital cameras as a major catalyst for growth, while 41 percent viewed lower prices of storage as important. Another key factor to growth cited by respondents is educating consumers on how to get the most out of the digital photography experience, as most influencers believe digital cameras need to appeal to the mass consumer.
Driving high-quality digital prints a critical factor
Seventy percent of survey respondents believe that a current lack of digital photofinishing infrastructure and standards is a major impediment to the growth of the industry. Forty-four percent of influencers validate the need for an initiative like the Common Picture eXchange Environment (CPXe) by responding that "unification or partnership efforts to deliver online sharing and printing solutions accessible through retail channels in-store or from home" has the most potential for growth in retail photofinishing. CPXe is an industry-wide initiative led by the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) and supported by Kodak, Fuji, HP and others to enable consumers to order high-quality prints anytime, anywhere from an increasing number of retailers and photofinishing providers.
Convergence of imaging and IT is important to industry growth
Based on the survey results, the vast majority of the respondents agree that the convergence of imaging and information technology--or infoimaging--is fueling growth. In particular, the Internet, software and wireless connectivity were mentioned as specific examples of infoimaging that will catalyze growth. More than 94 percent of influencers agree that broadband technology will be an important enabling technology, while more than 80 percent agree that wireless communications will be important.
A majority of industry influencers believe traditional imaging companies are best positioned for success in providing digital printing services. Approximately 78 percent of influencers surveyed believe companies maintaining a stake in various solutions and offering consumers the most choices are positioned as industry leaders. In addition, over 62 percent of the influencers believe that "a picture company" is the type of organization consumers will rely upon to assist them with the digital printing process.
As the industry leader, Kodak is focused on driving growth through four key strategies: - Expanding the benefits of film
- Driving printing of digital images in all forms
- Creating easy-to-use digital products and services
- Developing new businesses in new markets
About Eastman Kodak Company and infoimaging
Kodak is the leader in helping people take, share, enhance, preserve, print and enjoy pictures--for memories, for information, for entertainment. The company is a major participant in infoimaging--a $385 billion industry composed of devices (digital cameras), infrastructure (online networks and delivery systems for images), and services & media (film and paper enabling people to access, analyze and print images). Kodak harnesses its technology, market reach and a host of industry partnerships to provide innovative products and services for customers who need the information-rich content that images contain. The company, with sales last year of $13.2 billion, is organized into four major businesses: Photography, providing consumers, professionals and cinematographers with digital and traditional products and services; Commercial Imaging, offering image capture, output and storage products and services to businesses and government; Components, delivering flat-panel displays, optics and sensors to original equipment manufacturers; and Health, supplying the healthcare industry with traditional and digital image capture and output products and services.
Kodak is trademark of Eastman Kodak Company.
Editor's Note: For more information about Kodak and infoimaging, visit the Kodak Web site at: http://www.kodak.com/go/infoimaging. For more information on CPXe, visit the I3A Web site at http://www.i3a.org. For more information on EasyShare, go to http://www.kodak.com/go/easyshare. The online survey was conducted at the beginning of September among global media and industry analysts focused on the imaging industry.
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