Page 24 - 2015-12

Kodak to release Smartphone, focus on Super 8 film-making

Kodak, the 129-year-old company beloved for its distinctive cameras and films has turned a
modern leaf and is set to release a new smartphone later this month.
The company is known for inventing the hand-held camera and helping bring the world the first
photos from the moon. Last year Kodak surprised, releasing its first smart phone that despite
bearing a heritage name, quietly disappeared.

"That camera was our first trial and it was a camera that was made for really easy design," said
chief executive Jeff Clarke, who joined Kodak in 2014.

"The thought behind that was following one of (found-
er) George Eastman's key tenets that we still carry close
to us at Kodak — you push the button we do the rest. It
was a simplified phone, many people jokingly called it
an "old person phone" because it was very simple."

In 2012, Kodak filed for bankruptcy after failing to
quickly embrace more modern technologies including
the digital camera, a product it invented in the 1970s,
but did not pursue in fear it would jeopardise its film Kodak’s Smartphone, with the emphasis
business. on the camera functions.

It clawed out of bankruptcy after selling patents to technology companies including Apple and
Google. Kodak still retains around 6,000 patents and the rights to use its original patents and
intellectual property.

"We are a company that still has a core research lab. (We are) very different from many
companies that do applied research, we do basic research around areas that others don't. And that
leads to bigger opportunities down the track."
Kodak returned to profitability earlier this year.

PUSH TO REVIVE FILM
In January, Kodak unveiled its Super 8 Revival Initiative, which aims to revive film making with
a new Kodak Super 8 camera that combines both analogue and digital features.

"Kodak is the last maker of motion picture films, so if you want to see some Star Wars or James
Bond in the future on film, we need to keep the factory alive," Mr Clarke told The Business.

Kodak says it has nearly $1.7 billion in revenue, with its film business making about $200
million. It remains the last maker of Super 8 film.

"It's an incredibly important part of our heritage and it's a profitable business again."

Source http://www.abc.net.au/news/

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