Consumers Desire to Print Camera Phone Pictures

September 14, 2005 | Mark Goldstein | Camera Phones | Comment |

Fuji Photo Film USA Press Release

New Study Reveals Consumer Desire to Print Camera Phone Pictures; Survey Details Consumer Attitudes and Camera-Phone Printing Behaviors

VALHALLA, N.Y.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Sept. 13, 2005—Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. today released findings from a camera phone behavior study completed by NPD Techworld, a division of the NPD Group, Inc., revealing that 44.6 percent of participants said they have taken pictures with their camera phone that they wished they had printed. The most commonly noted reasons for not printing these images included image quality, simplicity of process and overall perceived cost.

“Clearly, the camera phone market continues to enjoy a healthy boom,” said Neil Strother, research director for mobile devices for The NPD Group. “Our data show that last year camera phones had penetrated 7 percent of the U.S. market, and now that number is close to 22 percent - a dramatic year-over-year increase of nearly 200 percent. As more megapixel camera phones enter the market and image quality improves, the expectation is that significantly more consumers will want to print the photos taken with these improved products.”

The study, based on a survey of more than 400 U.S. camera phone owners, points to a significant opportunity for retailers and vendors to capitalize on the printing potential from accelerating adoption rates of camera phones and the growth in mobile imaging.

“Early adopters of digital cameras most often printed at home, if they printed at all - there weren’t many options yet available or convenient. Now the infrastructure to get digital prints at retail is in place and consumers are adopting this behavior more quickly,” said John Prendergast, Vice President, Web and Online Services, Imaging Group, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. “As the quality, functionality and ease-of-use of camera phones improve, we see users gravitating to the service, quality and cost-effectiveness of the retail destination.”

The data notes a strong correlation between the number of images taken by a camera phone and the likelihood they will be printed, with those who print taking nearly double the number of images a month. The study also found that 74 percent of camera phone users also own a digital camera. Other key findings from the survey indicate that, much like digital cameras, the most commonly photographed subjects by camera phone users are friends, family and children (80.1%), followed by pets (37.2%). An interesting difference is the use of camera phones to take “random” or “spur of the moment” images (29.8%).

Fujifilm, a leader in imaging technology and retail photofinishing solutions, introduced the first digital minilab, the Fujifilm Frontier digital lab system, in 1996. Since that time Fujifilm has integrated digital printing solutions in more than 10,000 retail locations, enabling them to profit from the exploding number of digital images being captured. As next generation camera phones continue to emerge with removable media and wireless transmission capability, greater resolution, zoom, and other camera-like functionality, Fujifilm expects these advances to drive printing volumes to greater levels.

This study is being released the same day that Fujifilm has announced a new Cingular Wireless service that allows consumers to download a convenient management and printing application that takes advantage of the Fujifilm Get the Picture Online Service. The application enables Cingular customers to access the thousands of participating digital processing retail stores nationwide and obtain prints directly from their handset in as little as an hour.*

Cingular has also introduced an enhanced version and simpler interface for its Mobile Postcards, the first-of-its-kind, photo-postcard application launched last year. This application allows Cingular customers to use their camera phones to create personalized Fujifilm photo postcards and send them anywhere in the country via the U.S. mail - directly from their Cingular handset. Fujifilm created these applications in conjunction with Summus, Inc., a leading provider of mobile media applications.

Methodology
The Camera Cell Phone Study was conducted for Fujifilm USA. The questionnaire was constructed jointly by Fujifilm and NPD and intended to provide behavioral and attitudinal information on picture taking with camera cell phones, with particular emphasis on how the resulting digital photos are printed and distributed.

A total of 600 buyers of camera cell phones were identified from among members of NPD’s Consumer Online Panel. These buyers were asked via email on July 15, 2005 to visit the NPD Online Research site to complete the survey. Fieldwork closed on July 22nd with 419 verified camera cell phones owners completing the survey, resulting in a response rate of 69.8 percent.

For more information on Fujifilm imaging and storage products and services, or Cingular’s photo applications and, please visit www.fujifilm.com.

About Fujifilm
Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. is a subsidiary of Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. and delivers technology solutions to meet the imaging and information needs of retailers, consumers, professionals and business customers. As a global leader in digital imaging, Fujifilm pioneered the development of digital medical systems, and today is the leader in digital minilab systems. The company was ranked number 15 for U.S. patents granted during 2004, employs more than 75,000 people worldwide and in the year ending March 31, 2005, had global revenues of more than $23.6 billion.

In the United States, Fujifilm is a leader in delivering high quality, easy-to-use imaging and information solutions in the following categories: Digital Imaging Systems, Film and Imaging Systems, Recording/Storage Media, Motion Picture Film, Graphic Arts and Printing Systems and Medical Imaging and Diagnostics Systems. Fujifilm is an environmentally friendly, humane enterprise and an exemplary corporate citizen.

For more information on Fujifilm products, consumers can call 800-800-FUJI or access the Fujifilm USA Web site at www.fujifilm.com.

About The NPD Group, Inc.
Since 1967 The NPD Group has provided reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today more than 1,400 manufacturers and retailers rely on NPD to help them better understand their customers, product categories, distribution channels and competition in order to help guide their business. Information from The NPD Group is available for the following major vertical sectors: apparel, appliances, automotive, beauty, consumer electronics, food and beverage, foodservice, footwear, home improvement, housewares, imaging, information technology, music, software, travel, toys, video games, and wireless. For more information visit www.npd.com, or contact David Riley, The NPD Group at 516-625-2277 or [email protected].

All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners.

*Process time is dependent on a particular retailer’s service options