[This article was updated on 9 July to include a comment from Nikon Europe – see below]
In an interview with Bloomberg news agency, Nikon president Makoto Kimura is quoted as saying that developers are working on products due to go on sale within five years.
But he refuses to say whether a mobile phone is in the offing.
‘It could be a non-camera consumer product,’ said Kimura in the 4 July interview with Bloomberg at Nikon’s Tokyo headquarters.
‘The number of people taking snapshots is exploding by use of smartphones that sold 750 million or so last year and are still growing.
‘We’ve centralised our ideas around cameras but can change our approach to offer products to that bigger market.
A Nikon Europe spokesperson told Amateur Photographer: ‘Mr Kimura’s comments to Bloomberg were meant to convey his beliefs that, as the smart device market has been growing, more people are getting used to taking pictures and movies.
‘His point was that Nikon must consider changes happening in the market and keep proposing attractive products.
‘Mr Kimura’s comment… that he didn’t decline any possibilities for the future was not a promise of a particular unannounced product, which Nikon will never comment on.’
