No mid-range digital cameras for sale at US$300-400 were launched in the global market in the third quarter of 2014 possibly due to increasing competition from smartphones, according to Digitimes Research.
In order to increase differentiation between digital cameras and smartphone cameras, vendors have increased optical optical zoom specifications, with 12x optical zoom models taking up 75% of newly launched digital cameras, Digitimes Research indicated. In addition, more and more digital cameras support Wi-Fi, including the Panasonic FZ1000, TZ60, TZ61, TZ56 and SZ8 as well as Samsung Electronics WB351. Wi-Fi-enabled models account for 75% of newly launched digital cameras. The FZ1000, TZ60 and TZ61 also support NFC functionality.
Among seven major Japan-based digital camera vendors, Nikon, Sony and Olympus did not launch new consumer models in the third quarter.