Mobile Technology

Kodak wants to reinvent itself as an Android brand

Details are scarce, but Kodak is planning on jumping into the Android space
Details are scarce, but Kodak is planning on jumping into the Android space

Kodak, a company best known for its film-based cameras from another era, is jumping into the Android smartphone game. With companies like Apple. Samsung, LG, Motorola and HTC duking it out for handset sales, it could be difficult for Kodak to jump into the space, with the brand struggling to find an identity in the modern world.

Details are scarce at this point, with the company announcing that it intends to show off its first device at CES 2015. Naturally, Kodak is going to bring a photography focus to its handset, with promises of "best-in-class image management software" and "easy access to printing and sharing services."

Kodak isn't building the phone itself, instead turning to Bullitt Group, the company that builds CAT's rugged Android phone. A major focus in the announcement is the user interface, which Kodak promises will be focused on users seeking a high-end device without a complicated interface. Considering most high-end smartphones already have relatively simple (and familiar) interfaces, it should be interesting to see what Kodak has in store.

In addition to the 4G handset, Kodak is also promising a tablet and connected camera under its new Android ambitions. Time will tell how these devices fare in the competitive market, but to say it's going to be an uphill climb would be an understatement.

Source: Kodak via Engadget

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4 comments
Michaelangelo
Well is was less than ten years ago they made the announcement that Film was on the was back in and digital was 'Just a Phase', Too old school for me. I think they will end up in the same class as 'Zune'
MAKABUSI INC.
When is KODAK going to advance the old technology of the 3D camera and the View Master circular disk? Surely if done this will allow a leap ahead of all "Smartphones".
StWils
I live in Rochester and have worked for Kodak and Xerox. I would have been delighted to see Kodak innovate in digital imaging, which was invented at Kodak, and innovate in cellular phones, and then merge the two. However they are 15 to 20 years way too late. Kodak has always been culturally wedded to the 80% profit margin that film had and they ALWAYS denigrated any product that did not. Sadly, Kodak cameras went away and they never had a chance to try out phones. Outsourcing everything means that the only "Kodak" content will be the label on the box. This has no future at all. Both Kodak and Xerox were important basic science innovators in liquid crystals and LEDS and did produce great displays, briefly. Xerox contributed millions to a flat screen consortium and had a great display with the Xerox name on it for about ten minutes. Both Kodak and Xerox then sold off their substantial Intellectual Property portfolios for little more than coffee money. "Outsourcing" production and I.P. will disperse these once great companies to a point of oblivion, which incidentally, is not far off for either company.
pmshah
"Kodak, a company best known for its film-based cameras from another era" Really !!!
They were never "best known" for the cameras but were for the actual "films". Every time they came out with any new technological innovation they also came out with hardware to support it. They however were never really interested in that part of the business and actively supported independents in every respect for that, especially the lab equipment part.
Most aficionados of digital photography may not be aware of the fact that they were the pioneers in one critical aspect of it. Their development in practically doubling the green light sensitivity allows today's high speed photography with more vibrant colours. Until this development each cluster consisted of 1 x blue, 1 x red and 2 x green sensitive areas. This was changed to 1 x each for 3 colours and 1 for white light (for brightness sensing.) They were the ones to develop the first 16 megapixel chips along with Sinar of Switzerland for large format cameras. They are also big in low cost high quality "progressive" lenses for spectacles. So don't just write them off.