The Birth of Camera Phones: A Journey of Innovation and Resilience
Today, it seems unthinkable for a smartphone to lack a camera. Yet, just about two decades ago, mobile phones did not have this functionality. It took the desperate efforts of two latecomer companies in the mobile phone industry, seeking to carve out a space in a saturated market, to introduce the revolutionary concept of a camera-equipped phone. This innovation has since become a standard feature in all mobile phones, inadvertently impacting the once-thriving digital camera market.
The 1990s: The Rise of Mobile Communication in Japan
In the 1990s, Japan entered a new era of telecommunications, dominated by NTT and SoftBank, which controlled over 80% of the market. Enter Tokyo Digital Phone, later known as J-Phone, founded in a mixed-use building in Tokyo by Japan Railways (JR) and a steel company. This eclectic team of around 100 employees came together, many of whom had no prior experience in telecommunications. Among them was Keiji Takao, originally from Mazda in Hiroshima, who was transferred to this small company. While many viewed his transfer as a demotion, Takao saw it as an opportunity to do something significant in an innovative industry.
