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    Canon is looking to partner with a smartphone manufacturer

    By Updated:48 Comments3 Mins Read Canon Business General
    canonnothing 728x364 - Canon is looking to partner with a smartphone manufacturer

    A few weeks ago reports came out that Canon was looking for a smartphone partner to help with branding and mobile technology. While not much was said from Canon themselves, we have been told that the idea has made it's way down the chain at Canon and it's an active project.

    The biggest question is obviously? Which phone maker would it be?

    Xiaomi seems to have a very strong relationship with Leica, as we'll see how things go with the upcoming Xiaomi 13 Ultra. While Xiaomi is a household name in most of the world, it's not as well known in the United States.

    Oppo is working with Hasselblad/DJI, and Vivo is currently partnered with Zeiss. With Zeiss leaving the photography market, the future of that collaboration may not be set.

    Huawei is a brand that is popular outside the G7, but there have been a lot of restrictions placed on the brand, so they are probably out of the conversation.

    That leaves the two global giants, Apple and Samsung. I can't see either of them wanting to bring an outside brand into the mix. I don't really think either of them need it, unless there is some kind of technology that Canon has, that would shake things up. Google and the Pixel line, while they make some great devices, I also can't see Google letting go of some level of control.

    That brings us to the rest of the brands that make up a pretty small percentage of the market share combined. One could bring up Asus, Motorola, Honor and OnePlus… which again doesn't seem like a strong move for Canon.

    The only other brand that we can think of, and a brand that may have some strange/unique things up their sleeves in the future is Nothing. They have very little market share and global reach, but they seem to be a relatively interesting smartphone manufacturer to keep an eye one, because let's be honest, most of that space has become a little bit stale.

    If you did go with a company like Nothing, it would definitely be a long-term strategy, there is a lot to do at that brand, and it would require significant investment from Canon.

    We also wonder if wanting this type of partnership is to help grown Canon's OEM sensor business that is absolutely dominated by Sony.

    The other question that we don't have an answer for, does camera branding on smartphones bring in more sales for the smartphone manufacturer?

    I'm sure we're going to hear more talk about this in the future, as we do believe it would be a pretty good idea if the right situation presents itself. The wrong one? Time will tell.

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    3. Hopefully not be just a partnership where the phone maker designs and manufactures everything and Canon will just \"approve\" the design and license their logo.
      Unless I have just been told marketing fluff, Leica actually played a pretty large roll in the Xiaomi camera modules.
    6. In Germany there is a saying: "Am eigenen Stuhl sägen". (loosely translated: "Sawing in your own chair"). I don't think it would be a good to consumers if Canon (or Nikon) would start selling lenses or such to SP manufacturers. It could hurt them badly since it subconsciously sends the message: "oh, I have Canon glass on my SP, why would I need a camera?"

      Since all SP are already set with lenses and such, I don't believe this rumor is real.
    8. Going against the flow here, but I think Apple makes the most sense. It isn't about the technology, it's about the branding. They are not direct competitors so neither company loses anything by partnering. Both would bring a substantial customer base to the partnership. Both consistently rank near the top of the world's most admired companies so the risk of either company taking a hit to their reputations from the other is low.

      Having Canon certified iPhone cameras and Apple certified connectivity in cameras would be a marketing plus for both companies. Canon has struggled to replace its once highly lucrative point-and-shoot market and a partnership with Apple would give them invaluable insights to develop products that appeal to the iPhone generation, especially if those products can be directly integrated into the iPhone ecosystem.

      And, while it isn't about the technology, the research and development they both invest heavily in is valuable to the other, without being overly duplicative.
    9. We know it's not going to be Google because they're dropping a Sony sensor into their new pixel 8.

      I don't think most consumers care what type of image sensor is in their mobile device. These are people that want the convenience pointing their phone at something and getting a nice quality picture. They don't care how it happens or who did it.

      I've always carried a camera so I could care less what type of imaging sensor is in a mobile device. That's the last thing I'm concerned with when purchasing a phone. I'm looking at screen resolution, processing power, memory, battery life, cellular and wifi capability. But there are a lot of people who want the best camera they can get in a phone. That person just isn't me.

      For these folks, its not about brand recognition as much as it is about "does it take nice pictures" performance.
    10. We know it's not going to be Google because they're dropping a Sony sensor into their new pixel 8.

      I don't think most consumers care what type of image sensor is in their mobile device. These are people that want the convenience pointing their phone at something and getting a nice quality picture. They don't care how it happens or who did it.
      If this report is true, I'd put it more to Canon's OEM sensor business and less about branding themselves. You have to have something to show though
    12. Go with Samsung and put their operating system in your cameras.
      Please no. Bixby on my camera. Forget it. You really like Samsung's skinned hack of Android? They took everything that Google did wonderfully and ruined it. I won't deny their hardware is beautiful. Beveled edges are nice. They always have a good processor and plenty of memory, but they cannot deliver what stock Android can. I tried a Samsung flagship for 8 months. After 8 months it had all the bugs and more it was released with. Nothing got fixed. Nothing got improved. Their implementation of Android Auto was beyond painful. For me there's just no comparison.
    13. The problem with Apple is they don't play nice with anyone.
      But they play well with the market, making it worth putting up with them in a partnership. Canon hardware in iPhones would be a boon for Canon.
    14. Go with Samsung and put their operating system in your cameras.
      Is this outcome on the table? Everyone is talking about smartphones equipped with Canon sensors and glass, but that seems like a pretty niche area of the smartphone market. Whereas mobile application-type features on cameras is a relatively untouched area (and possibly somewhat overdue).

      Most of the beginner, point-and-shoot camera market has been lost to the ease of use and convenience of smartphones (which have made moving photos into end applications easy). Given that Canon is seeking that market still with products like the V10, is it realistic that Canon might try to recapture some of that market with a mobile-OS enabled camera sometime in the future? Or perhaps Canon has learned that Sony (with an existing Android smartphone team putting 1" sensors on phones) is making strides in this direction and Canon wants to keep up? I doubt that this would impact the R system, but perhaps such an untapped market could bring more resources to camera development in general.
    15. Going against the flow here, but I think Apple makes the most sense. It isn't about the technology, it's about the branding. They are not direct competitors so neither company loses anything by partnering. Both would bring a substantial customer base to the partnership. Both consistently rank near the top of the world's most admired companies so the risk of either company taking a hit to their reputations from the other is low.

      Having Canon certified iPhone cameras and Apple certified connectivity in cameras would be a marketing plus for both companies. Canon has struggled to replace its once highly lucrative point-and-shoot market and a partnership with Apple would give them invaluable insights to develop products that appeal to the iPhone generation, especially if those products can be directly integrated into the iPhone ecosystem.

      And, while it isn't about the technology, the research and development they both invest heavily in is valuable to the other, without being overly duplicative.

      Apple doesn't need the marketing boost from a camera company.
    16. I think Apple fans who buy an iPad or Phone with a canon lens and/or sensor and decide they want to move to a mirrorless camera would chose Canon. I think it's possible, but less likely with Samsung users, but probably not other brands.
    17. Apple doesn't need the marketing boost from a camera company.
      Exactly. In that scenario Canon would need Apple way more than vice versa. Apple is all about their own branding and ecosystem ala APPLE prores raw, APPLE camera system, direct upload to iCloud, etc etc. I just don't see the cobranding happening unless if Canon paid Apple an insane amount of money, which they would not be willing to do.
    19. I remember the time Samsung itself was actually in the photo camera business. If you look at the overview at DPReview (while it's still available): they actually made many models up until 2015, at the end experimenting with the Galaxy K zoom crossover smartphone / camera in 2014. I actually owned a 2006 NV7 OPS once which was good in spec terms but bad in execution sadly with terrible battery life and a very audible lens motor + bad internal mic when shooting video. In a way I see it making sense for Samsung to team up with Canon.

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