Prediction: What will Samsung do?

OK, with CES around the corner and CP+ coming soon, after all the rumours, what do you think that Samsung will do with the camera market? This is just for curiosity, so please don't start arguing

Also, this is *prediction* not *aspiration*. What do you think is the most likely course of action for samsung?

Camera module for the Galaxy range smartphone similar to Sony's QX1.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/kin2son/
http://www.gettyimages.com/search/photographer?photographer=Kinson+C+Photography

I actually do not think Samsung is dumb enough to not realize what gem they have on their hands with the NX1.

But they do realize, I think, that it is a bit (ok, more than a bit) ahead of everyone else, and that their market strategy was not getting the results they wanted at the speed they wanted.

The rational decision would therefore be to put it to ice in the sense that it will be still sold in selected markets which have high potential, in the hope that it will eventually gain traction.

I recently saw a post where Samsung South Africa said they will continue to sell NX1 - this actually makes sense for a market where we have the safaris and presumably many people targeting wildlife/birds/etc.

However, for South Africa/wildlife, Samsung must have a long lens, and they also need it in order to show real commitment to the system.

This means that they would probably release soon (CES?) the much anticipated 300mm lens.

I guess we'll see soon enough...

Vasile

A previous rumor, one of the many, was that they would "park" the system for a year. I predict a small booth at CES showing off the NX1 and NX500. Maybe a new lens but doubt it. I think we will see nothing new with the only confirmation that they still have the system on life support.

Maybe an announcement that they will sell a Galaxy phone that uses NX mini lenses.

vasile wrote:

I actually do not think Samsung is dumb enough to not realize what gem they have on their hands with the NX1.

Hmm...are you saying those professionals at Samsung may know just as much if not more than armchair CEOs in those forums? That's impossible!!!

On just a tad more serious note, I am going to stick with my previous prediction that Nikon will adopt NX as their mirrorless mount. While I have no clue if Samsung will announce any new camera/lens, I do predict they will keep their NX line alive in select markets like the US but generally take a back seat to allow Nikon to push the NX mount forward at least for a while. Nikon will be happy to oblige since they get a sweat deal on Samsung's sensors and image processors. Oh yes, I'm a glass-is-half-full guy!

I'd just like to see a couple of new lenses. After all, they would sell decently well, now that many jumped on nx system (since when nx1 and nx500 are dirty cheap).

That would give confidence that nx is still kicking.

Oh, and a new fw for the nx1 would be overdue.

At CES they will announce a bunch of gadgets non photography related.

They will also probably state that they are still developing sensors for cameras and phones but nothing more precise unless they have a closed deal with some camera maker and that this camera maker is willing to reveal its future line of cameras using Samsung sensors... very unlikely.

lol101 wrote:

At CES they will announce a bunch of gadgets non photography related.

They will also probably state that they are still developing sensors for cameras and phones but nothing more precise unless they have a closed deal with some camera maker and that this camera maker is willing to reveal its future line of cameras using Samsung sensors... very unlikely.

This is pretty much what I'm expecting personally... I'd love to see new lenses (and an NX50 with the NX1 sensor) but I'm expecting to be disappointed..

I think they'll do the following ...

1. Stop development on all their current cameras.

2. Supply sensors to some Nikon cameras.

3. Put their resources toward interchangeable lens phones that no one will end up buying.

What I wish they'd do is something novel like just have 3 awesomely made and well thought out cameras in their line up and that's it. NX1, NX500 and something like an RX100iv / LX100. Release constant FW updates after listening to customers and concentrate on making great lenses.

Samsung to exit the market... and everyone in here was predicting the death of Micro Four Thirds because of Samsung for video? That's funny Sorry.. yeah, but no...

There is one thing that samsung never did, even in the moments when many fw were being released: listening to customers.

A lot of very good suggestions have been sent, no one has been implemented.

They have internal plans and they won't change them for any reason.

There is one thing that samsung never did, even in the moments when many fw were being released: listening to customers.

A lot of very good suggestions have been sent, no one has been implemented.

They have internal plans and they won't change them for any reason.

We will know soon enough.
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Trying to capture the images i see around me.

The 1.7% who believe Samsung will keep on producing cameras must be living in the twilight zone.

justmeMN wrote:

vasile wrote: I actually do not think Samsung is dumb enough to not realize what gem they have on their hands with the NX1.

Companies don't consider unprofitable products to be gems.

Not as simple as that. It is unprofitable because of market conditions and/or marketing strategy, intrinsically it is a good product, with potential, as recognised by many reviewers.

Pricing is/was good, in line with analogue products from competition.

The question is what to do. Past investment is a sunk cost as any finance analyst will tell you. The situation must be evaluated based on the situation "as is", regardless of the past investments.

What would I do? Well:

- until I have more clarity as to the market evolution, I would stop investing more money in it, I would reassign related workforce to other similar positions in my organisation so as not to lose them in case

- I would, however, keep producing the cameras to the extent that they sell right now since this is a "free" revenue stream.

- maybe I would release products in the pipeline (300mm?) if costs are small to bring them to market (i.e. if I judge that the limited additional investment to bring them to market will give customers an indication of my commitment to the system).

- I would also restrict my service and marketing activities to the markets which have enough volume to at least break even.

This way I would keep my options open whilst not losing additional money on a product that might still be profitable in the future.