According to this Financial Times article titled Camera makers focus on functionality, camera makers are no longer engaged in pixel wars but rather focusing on functionality.
Even though the market is reaching maturity, the digital camera technology is still far from perfection. Camera makers are offering various new things and consumers are showing interests in upgrades. New technology will continuously expand the existing limits and make what was impossible possible.
Currently one of the biggest trends is the transition from digital compact cameras to DSLR cameras, which offer changeable lenses, much better image quality due to larger image sensors and quicker responses. Many people I know have bought DSLR cameras even though quite a few of them use their DSLRs as an expensive point-and-shoot by leaving the mode dial in Auto.
DSLR camera likely isn’t the end of digital camera revolution. Jin Nakayama, head of Casio’s camera business, predicted that new technology will eventually make SLR camera disappear because “… digital camera will have an image sensor so precise and processing so powerful that optical zoom lenses and flash will become unnecessary.”
