Or maybe just poor education on what phones can do these days?

The Photo Market Association is saying that the numbers are down. That's not entirely true, though.  If 35% of families own a camera phone now, which is up from 26% a year ago.  Now, 24% of families share images where a year ago 28% did.  But, 24% of 35% is 8.4% yet 28% of 26% is 7.3%.  That means sharing has gone up 1.1% in the population, or a growth of 15%. That's not too shabby!  Don't forget the interests doing the study, though.

Why are a fewer percentage of folks sharing?  My list:

• They've learned the quality is low
• They learned it's expensive
• They don't know how to share the images (stores don't teach these things)
• More cameras have cards so they don't need to share them via traditional methods
• Those families interviewed don't realize their kids actually are sharing stuff... just not with them (just check myspace)
• Consumer cameras of high megapixel have gotten cheaper so the camera in the phone is used less
• They wanted a new phone with TV or email and thus got a camera out of no choice, never having planned on using it
• And finally, yet perhaps the most obvious: the early adopter syndrome is wearing off.

Personally, I think it's quality (for me) and lack of consumer education.  After all, Telus in Canada recently learned their customers didn't know the phones could access the net, even though that's basically been possible for 10 years.  If consumers don't understand that basic principal of mobile technology, why would they know their phone can share images?

Posted by Shane on April 12, 2007 8:03 AM | Permalink