1. Making SMaL Big: SMaL Camera
Technologies

2. Overview of Smal Camera
Making SMaL Big: Camera Technologies
Competitors
PHASES IN MARKET LIFE CYCLE AND INNOVATION BASIS OF
COMPETITION
TIME OF ADOPTION OF INNOVATION (Roberts)
TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION LIFE CYCLE
SELECTED INNOVATION MODEL
DISCONTINUOUS INNOVATION
INNOVATION STRATEGIES
Company timeline
Features of camera
Component kit features
Management problems/issues
Options
Recommendations and discussion
Overview of Presentation

3. SMaL Camera overview
 CMOS (Complementary
Metal Oxide SEMI-
Conductor): small,
inexpensive to
manufacture
 Autobrite: technology
allowed higher quality
pictures in brightly lit
conditions

4. Making SMaL Big: Camera
Technologies
•2002: SMaL sold ½ million kits to
manufacturers
•Improve technology for the current consumer
market (copycats competitor)
•Security & surveillance Mkt
•Automotive Mkt
•New Imaging technology new market:
Cellphone

5. Competitors
Pixim: CMOS low cost + CCD performance.
Disruptive technology?
Casios’s Exilim $300
Foveon: X3 sensorchip Sigma first Foveon based
camera $1800

6. PHASES IN MARKET LIFE CYCLE AND
INNOVATION BASIS OF COMPETITION
Functionality: Picture Resolution
Always with you
Sales
Early Growth Mature Time
Functionality Reliability Convenience Price

7. TIME OF ADOPTION OF INNOVATION (Roberts)
TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION LIFE CYCLE
In Camera, Automotive
Cell phone
ConservativePragmatistVisionary
Innovators Early Early Majority Late Majority Laggards
Adopters
2.5% 13.5% 34% 34% 16%

8. SELECTED INNOVATION MODEL
I TP Imaging Technology
Technology Product
Market Manufacturing
IV Interactive
Networking
Cell phone-Expert
II MP Always with you
III Simultaneous, Automotive

9. DISCONTINUOUS INNOVATION
Market Knowledge
Scientific & Technical Knowledge
W E: Camera-consumer mkt
W E: Autobrite Imaging
sensor CMOS
Option 1
Pc Tc Mc
MnTc
Security, Automotive
Improved
Camera
Cell phone
Mn Tn
Option 2, 3
Option 4

10. INNOVATION STRATEGIES
• Option 1: Improvement. Higher resolution
1.3 megapixel + Flash, same price but
thicker
• Option 2: Security: Capture moving image,
wide panoramic image, stationary ‘moving”
camera
• Option 3: Automotive adaptive cruise
control, intelligent mirrors
• Option 4: Camera in phones embedded or
add on (to design something new)
• Option 5: Market Innovation (Police
recognition)

11. Cell phone , Recognition
Target zone: new
technology, latent need
Wall of Experience
Wall of Expectations
Scientific & Technical Knowledge
Market Knowledge

12. SMaL Technologies Timeline

13. SMaL Camera Features

14. Component Kit Features
 SMaL switched
their focus from
selling finished
cameras to selling
components in a
kit

15. For discussion:
 Why did SMaL chose to build “Kits” to sell
to OEMs rather than components or
complete Cameras?

16.  Why did SMaL chose to build “Kits” to sell
to OEMs rather than components or
complete Cameras:
For discussion:
•To focus on areas where they could build a strong competitive
advantage
•Kits are better than selling individual parts since:
If the customer knows what technology you’re using, they
know exactly what it’s worth
If they do, they can control the price and you lose the
competitive advantage

17. Management Problems/IssuesManagement Problems/IssuesManagement Problems/Issues
 High customer power (demanding OEMs)
 New market entrants into SMaLs “territory”
 Lack of resources
 Segmented market (SMaL needs to choose)

18. Possible Alternatives:
 Moving on up
 Step up security and surveillance efforts
 Speed up the automotive efforts
 Cameras in phones
 Making a left turn

19. Moving On Up
• Pros
 OEM customers
showing a
demand for
better product
 Technology is
already
established
Cons
• Highly competitive
market
• Would cause
cameras to become
thicker to match the
market needs

20. Security and Surveillance
• Pros
 Already created
successful
prototypes
 Security industry
would require
fewer cameras
and fewer people
to monitor them
Cons
• Hard to conform with
existing industry
infrastructure
• Had to convert back
from digital to analog

21. Speed Automotive Efforts
• Pros
 Competition in
the industry is
low
 Have an existing
agreement with a
leading supplier
to make smart
applications
Cons
• Long development
time required to be
competitive
• Would not see profit
for at least 2-3 years

22. Camera Phones
• Pros
 Size and battery life
of technology is a
great fit for phones
 Proven in Japan that
there is a huge
demand
 Many interested
customers
Cons
• Many competitors
developing in the
market
• Existing component
kit not good enough,
new development
would be required

23. Making a Left Turn
• Pros
• New market
potential
• Low competition
if the right
opportunity is
discovered
Cons
• High resources
required for custom
development
• Opportunities hard to
find
•Lack resources they
need

24. Suggested Course of Actions:Suggested Course of Actions:
• 1. Develop camera for cell phones, webcams
for laptops
-Safe emerging market
• 2. Develop products with disruptive
potential
◦ Use funding generated from camera phones to get the
human and other resources they need to develop
innovative products for the security industry

25. Discussion Questions:
 Are the SMaL Ultra-Pocket camera along
with the component kits a disruptive or
sustaining technology?

26. • http://doi.contentdirections.com/mr/hbsp.jsp
?doi=10.1225/603116
• http://www.biu.ac.il/soc/ec/students/teach/5
54/data/SMaL%20Big.ppt
Reference