About Futuresource Consulting

Futuresource Consulting, the specialist research and consulting company, is delighted to be the official knowledge partner for CEATEC. The company can trace its roots back to the 1980s and provides market insights into consumer electronics, digital imaging, entertainment media, broadcast, optical manufacturing, storage media, professional IT and education technology.
With more than 70 full-time employees providing in-depth analysis and forecasts across consumer and professional electronics categories, Futuresource is able to advise on market, competitive and technological developments, providing clients with access to the information that helps produce the best possible results.

Vol.1052016/01/05

Worldwide Photographer Population to Exceed 4 Billion in 2015, Fuelled by Smartphone Adoption and Usage

According to the latest report issued by Futuresource, the worldwide population of photographers has grown by a factor of 8 over the last 10 years, to more than 4 billion, while the number of photos captured annually has increased 6-fold to 1.2 trillion. Smartphones have been instrumental in growing the volume of people who take photographs on a regular basis, as well as the volume of images captured.

Meanwhile, photography behaviour is changing beyond recognition – wireless transfer, selfies, software-filters, snapchat, geo-tagging, on-board editing with 4-5" touchscreens and live facial recognition are all becoming important characteristics of photography in 2015, which did not exist less than 5 years ago.

79% of smartphone users told Futuresource they regularly take photos with their smartphone, making it the most popular activity on smartphones, aside from making and receiving calls and messages. Incidence is skewed towards younger users (88% of 18-24 year olds regularly take photos with their smartphone) meaning it is already more than likely that a smartphone will be the first camera any person will use and experience.

While smartphones represent the primary camera device for a growing share of consumers, the opportunity for users to 'step up' to digital cameras grows with every new photographer.

"It is clear that digital cameras maintain key technical advantages over multifunctional camera-devices, in terms of bigger and superior sensors and optics, and manual control, commented Arun Gill, Market Analyst at Futuresource Consulting. However, smartphones are setting the bar in terms of smart UI's, connectivity and mobile apps, which represents a growing usability delta between smartphones and digital cameras."