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Say farewell to Samsung cameras, all will be phone with lenses now
  • Samsung Electronics integrated the Digital Imaging Business Division, in charge of cameras, with the Wireless Business Division. Samsung Electronics began to create synergies between smartphones and cameras in a bid to capture the largest share of the global mirrorless camera market in 2015. Also, earlier this year, the company created the Enterprise Business (EB) Team, and turned the global B2B Center into a quasi-business division. Its intention is to reinforce B2B sales as the consumer goods market is saturated.

    Samsung Electronics executed reorganization on December 11.

    Samsung Electronics maintained the 3-company business system: vice-chairman Kwon Oh-hyeon (DS: Device Solution), CEO Yoon Boo-geun (CE: consumer electronics) and Shin Jong-gyun (IM: IT Mobile). Global economic recession continues, but they performed excellently. We need to keep an eye on the IM Company during this organizational realignment. Samsung Electronics removed the Digital Imaging Business Division in charge of cameras. Samsung Electronics reshuffled it into the Imaging Business Team, and plans to make full use of the Wireless Business Division which has the leadership in the global market.

    Samsung Electronics explained, “We will transplant the brand, sales networks, software competency and manufacturing competitiveness of the Wireless Business Division into the Camera Business Division, and integrate the technical know-how of the two business divisions into competency for differentiating our smartphones.” To increase its share of the camera market, it will take advantage of the networks and marketing know-how of the Wireless Business Division and enhance the camera competitiveness of smartphones at the same time. Under the Media Solution Center of the IM Company, Samsung Electronics created the Big Data Center. It looks like a measure to actively respond to changes in trends by means of Big Data analysis. Some business divisions, such as the Washing Machine Business Division, have already capitalized on the Big Data analysis technique to produce visible outcomes.

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  • Looking at it, I am starting to freak out. This could spell some trouble to the photographers and videographers in the medium run. If the consumer camera market is wipe out it would take out a lot of the camera manufacturers money, resulting in much less investment into the camera manufacturers.

  • I think you guys are mis-understanding the article. Samsung is not abandoning their camera division - they're simply putting it under the control of the wireless division, which has a successful track record in the marketplace, something the camera division was not able to achieve.

    "To increase its share of the camera market, it will take advantage of the networks and marketing know-how of the Wireless Business Division and enhance the camera competitiveness of smartphones at the same time."

    Sounds like a win-win to me.

  • I think you guys are mis-understanding the article. Samsung is not abandoning their camera division - they're simply putting it under the control of the wireless division, which has a successful track record in the marketplace, something the camera division was not able to achieve.

    You just do not know Korean management :-)

  • Would you care to elaborate?

  • I am kind of glad that Samsung calls it quits. It has been sad to see Samsung's NX cameras struggle in the market place, in spite of their poring enormous amounts of money in to the bottomless pit, and in spite of Samsung CEO's boasting (3 or 4 years ago) that Samsung would capture more than 50% of the world wide camera market share. Well, boasting is one thing, market reality is another.

    The NX cameras are not necessarily bad; IMO they are kind of ok, except there is nothing that stands out in this crowded camera world.

  • The NX market strategy is going nowhere. Something has got to change, may as well try putting lenses on Galaxy. Camera team, it will be hail to the new chief. Dr. Shin does have strong technical depth.

  • From the other point of view, the market reality is also the fact, that 3 of 4 sold smartphones worldwide meanwhile are produced by Samsung.

    Now the camera quality on their phones will improve as well, why not actually? The fact that they have nearly eaten whole the concurence on the phone market is actually not so good for the further development.

    Not so in the camera world, where still many brands can find enough customers to exist further.

  • the market reality is also the fact, that 3 of 4 sold smartphones worldwide meanwhile are produced by Samsung.

    It is not true. Apple and Samsung are main producers of high marginal models (with their phones being most slow in the growth last half year).

  • In terms of technical & performances of phone cameras, I believe it is Nokia, not Samsung, that is the leader. This in time hopefully will translate in to market place successes & leadership.

  • @paulhouston

    Let's keep this topic without phone brands flame.