GE Gets Into Digital Camera Market Feb 15, 2007

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GE said today it signed an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with General Imaging, which will design, manufacture and distribute GE-branded digital cameras.

"We were seeking to enter the digital camera arena and found a perfect partner," said Brad Irvine, GE President of Trading and Licensing.

GE called General Imaging Company (Torrance, California, U.S.) a "corporate newcomer" but one staffed by photo industry veterans, including Chairman and CEO Hiroshi "Hugh" Komiya, a former president of Olympus Imaging Corporation. Leading sales in North America will be Rene Buhay, a former vice president of global sales for ArcSoft, as well as a former head of North American sales for both Samsung and Ricoh. Industrial designer Takeyoshi Kawano will be General Imaging's chief designer, and he comes with design credits that include the Sony Walkman, the Sony VAIO computer and the Olympus Stylus camera series.

Entry-level GE digital cameras will start with 7 megapixels of resolution and 2.5-inch LCD screens, such as the "G-Series" unit pictured. Higher-end units will offer up to 12 megapixels of resolution and 3-inch LCD screens. A photo printer will also be included in the line. The cameras will make their debut at the annual Photo Marketing Association trade show, March 8-11, 2007, in Las Vegas, with North American retail availability scheduled for mid-April. Retail launches in Europe and Asia are scheduled for later in 2007. 

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