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.
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.