1.3 MegaPixel Camera Phones and the Dim-Witted North American Cell Phone Industry

About three years ago, I remember getting my hands on my first 1.3mp camera phone. It was such a nice jump up from the 0.3mp phone. Yes, people thought I was cool for having one (or I thought I was cool).

However, if you were to walk into any wireless carrier's store TODAY (April 2007), you would be hard-pressed to find anything higher than a 1.3mp phone. Sure, you will only now start to find some 2mp phones, and if you try real hard, you might find a Sony Ericsson phone that is up to 3.2mp.

But what is the deal with this old technology? Why is it still around after almost 3 years? Who are the brainless people in this scenario, the mobile providers or the manufacturers?

Did you know that in Japan, you can get a 10mp camera phone? You cannot even get that as a camera in North America! I have heard at least one wireless provider say that "the North American market does not demand higher megapixel camera phones".

Can you believe that drivel? Maybe the providers need to hold a few more focus groups and get their facts straight. I, for one, continuously put off buying the latest phone models these days because I am waiting for a good camera. How many other people out there are like that?

Do you even use the camera in your phone? I bet you do not. The number one reason you do not use your camera phone is likely because the picture quality is terrible. You probably thought you would use it all the time. Think of all those impromptu photo ops out there. Alas, they are not to be. When you go on a family outing this summer, you will grab your phone AND...your camera.

Yes, people still use two devices. They will continue to do so until the all-knowing marketing executives at the wireless providers will get it through their heads that North American consumers WILL buy the nicer camera phones. In fact, the 1.3mp phones should all be stricken from our memories...from our vocabularies...from the very face of the earth. They are a blithe on our society; an international embarrassment.

They are like the 56k modem that will not go away and no one knows why they are still being sold. This "manifesto" you are reading might be a little late, I admit. The phones in question are indeed trending towards better products; we are finally coming out of a period of technological darkness.

Let us hope that the marketing departments in the North American wireless companies, as well as the product development departments within the wireless phone manufacturers never again hold us back from the quality we deserve.