Federica Laricchia
Research expert covering the global consumer technology industry
Cameras - statistics & facts
In our digital era, how would we remember our best experiences, from admiring beautiful landscapes to tasting delicious food, if we did not have cameras to take pictures with? Whether a stand-alone device or incorporated in smartphones and tablets, cameras make up a considerable part of the consumer electronics industry, and one of the major device specifications. Today most consumers own a camera in some form. Although the increasing popularity of smartphones has led to less demand for stand-alone camera products, resulting in plummeting digital camera shipments reaching under eight million in 2023, a feeling of nostalgia spreading especially among Gen Z consumers seems to be bringing digital cameras back.
Smartphone camera over a digital camera
First developed in 1975 by Kodak, digital cameras – a market forecast to generate revenues of over 24 billion U.S. dollars in 2024 – are optical devices used for recording images, either as individual still photographs or as part of a series of images, such as in a video. If cameras saw a proper boom in the 1990s, the year 2000 marked the invention of the world’s first digital camera phone and by the early 2010s, almost all smartphones had an integrated digital camera. Over the years, image sensors have gotten smaller and more advanced, while smartphones capabilities have been enhanced, leading camera users to prefer smartphone cameras. Consequently, traditional camera manufacturers shifted their focus from consumer cameras, such as digital still camera with built-in lenses or interchangeable lenses and DSLR and mirrorless cameras, to more profitable imaging solutions in medical and scientific applications.New technology and new applications
Thanks to the advancement of technology of the past decade, new cameras have been brought to the market: smaller, more durable, and serving purposes never thought possible in the past. Compact, easy-to-use cameras such as action cameras and wearable cameras made popular by GoPro have quickly become some of the most sought-after stand-alone cameras on the market. Furthermore, home security cameras, used to protect property from theft and vandalism have also experienced growth, supported by the increased number of connected devices and IoT at home. Looking ahead, manufacturers will continue improving upon camera technology, whether in stand-alone devices or featured in smartphones, offering consumers the opportunity to collect their best memories in high-quality pictures and videos.
