May 11 (the-japan-news.com) - Casio Computer Co. has decided to end its compact digital camera business after over 20 years of operation, due to a rapid decline in demand.
Casio will terminate production of such cameras as their profitability has deteriorated markedly as smartphone cameras keep evolving, the company said Wednesday.
In 1995, Casio launched the QV-10, the first digital camera for consumers in the world with a liquid crystal display, allowing users to immediately check images taken.
The model became popular and led to an expansion in the compact digital camera market. But due to the rise of smartphones with cameras, Casio’s camera sales shrank in a decade to less than 10 percent of the peak level of 6.85 million units, recorded in fiscal 2007.
In fiscal 2017, which ended in March, the company suffered a loss in its digital camera division for the second straight year.