The assault on the compact digital camera market just won't stop. More megapixels, optical zoom, image stabilization, various in-camera editing tricks and now...an easy and more secure way to add interchangeable lenses to a smartphone. Ouch!
Could be game over for the point-and-shoot digital camera market if and when Apple comes to market with a proposed invention that could fasten different camera lenses more securely to your iPhone, broadening the picture taking capabilities of the iconic device.
The idea, granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday, is called Bayonet attachment mechanisms, the details of which involve a method of using a bayonet mount on the smartphone through which interchangeable camera lenses could be attached.
While the idea behind bayonet mounts is nothing new, as they have been around for quite some time for cameras and other consumer electronic products to firmly attach and lock two different parts together, Apple is taking a stab at fine tuning this method to work particularly well with the iPhone. Factor in as well the fact interchangeable camera lenses have gotten significantly smaller in this new age of higher end Compact System Cameras (CSCs).
Apple has reportedly even factored in drop events as the lens attachment will instantly release from the mobile device when dropped, limiting damage to both mechanisms - but to the smartphone in particular. The only drawback we see is the fact it appears the mounting system will protrude a bit from the rear body of the phone so the less hard core picture-takers among us may find this as a bit of an annoyance.
The compact or point-and-shoot digital camera market has been taking it on the chin for years now in their battle to stave off the hard charging smartphone market as consumers are simply getting more and more comfortable capturing life's memories with their mobile phones. Research firm IDC predicts that worldwide compact camera sales will fall by 40% this year so it appears the bell may be about to toll for this category.
