Polaroid & ActivePhoto to Develop Advanced Technologies for Mobile Digital Imaging
Press release from the issuing company
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- May 29, 2001 – Polaroid Corporation (NYSE: PRD) and ActivePhoto today announced a strategic alliance to develop and market a whole new generation of mobile, wireless digital imaging workflow solutions without the need for personal computers. The two companies will focus on bringing the commercial marketplace innovative solutions that feature simple, convenient ways to capture, transmit and print digital images.
"This alliance represents a key step in executing the Polaroid digital strategy. It combines the resources of both companies to realize the tremendous potential of new digital imaging platforms that will allow picture taking and printing anytime, anywhere," said Gary T. DiCamillo, Polaroid chairman and chief executive officer.
Tom Riley, chief executive officer of ActivePhoto, said that his company’s proprietary software and Polaroid’s strong market presence make for a powerful combination. "This alliance is a major step forward in bringing our technology to a variety of users and in mainstreaming the wireless transmission of digital images via a whole new generation of mobile devices," he said.
Last year ActivePhoto introduced an innovative "one-touch" photo publishing system that labels and wirelessly transmits images from a digital camera to a Web site using the label information to categorize, archive, and display images according to the customer’s workflow.
Utilizing ActivePhoto’s proprietary technology, Polaroid plans to market a variety of low-cost mobile, wireless products that will generate and print digital images -- instantly and without the hassle of uploading them to a computer. Potential commercial markets for these products include real estate, insurance, law enforcement, construction and medical.
John L. Puckett, Polaroid vice president – business development, noted that the alliance between Polaroid and ActivePhoto is both a financial and technology-sharing relationship. "Our research and development teams will be working together very closely," he said. Puckett also will serve on ActivePhoto’s board of directors.
Puckett noted that the strategic alliance complements an already strong presence that Polaroid maintains in the digital camera market. "We sold a record 1.3 million digital cameras last year and have built a strong foundation in this category to facilitate the launch of our new instant digital printing platforms," he said.
Polaroid continues to hold a category-leading 69 percent share of digital camera volume sold in U.S. Food, Drug and Mass Merchandising outlets, according to data from Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) for the most recent 13-week period. The company is also the second-leading brand of digital cameras in all U.S. channels, according to NPD Intelect.
More information about this strategic alliance will be available at a meeting this week to introduce two new Polaroid digital printing platforms – code named "Opal" and "Onyx" – to the investor community. The meeting will be held Thursday morning, May 31, at The Digital Sandbox in New York City.