Leading Mobile and Digital Imaging Companies Team to Build Breakthrough Mobile
Imaging Experience
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CES -- Motorola, Inc.
(NYSE: MOT), a global leader in wireless communications, and Eastman Kodak
Company (NYSE: EK), the world's most recognized brand in digital imaging and
the U.S. market-share leader in digital cameras, today announced a 10-year
global product, cross licensing and marketing alliance intended to fulfill the
promise of mobile imaging for the benefit of consumers.
By incorporating Kodak's image science and system integration expertise
with Motorola iconic mobile device design, the two companies will greatly
improve the ease-of-use and image capture experience of camera phones. The
collaboration covers licensing, sourcing, software integration, marketing, and
extends to co-development of image-rich devices with joint engineering teams.
For example, Kodak expects to supply its CMOS sensors to Motorola for use in
its camera phones, as well as in any future devices the companies co-develop.
Additionally, the cooperation to seamlessly integrate millions of Motorola
mobile devices with Kodak home printers, retail kiosks, and the KODAK
EASYSHARE Gallery will finally provide an answer to those consumers who desire
a quick and easy way to get their images out of the phone for sharing with
friends and family.
"It's a natural partnership," said Ed Zander, Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of Motorola. "With Kodak, the global leader in imaging innovation,
and Motorola, the global leader in mobile design and innovation, we'll forever
change the way the world captures and shares mobile images. And by
cooperating to simplify and enhance the quality of virtually every aspect of
the development and delivery of the mobile imaging experience, we'll be able
to bring new value and revenue opportunities to our operator customers while
helping consumers by seamlessly liberating billions of photos stuck inside
camera phones."
"Our companies will combine our knowledge and technological expertise to
provide a mobile-imaging experience the way the consumer wants it," said
Antonio M. Perez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kodak. "Motorola is
the innovator in mobile devices; Kodak is the digital imaging innovator that
has allowed people to easily make, manage and move pictures. Working in
collaboration, our two companies have the capability and commitment to totally
redefine photography in a connected world. Together, we will pursue our vision
of a world where every consumer has a networked imaging device in her pocket
or purse by the end of the decade."
The alliance delivers value by leveraging each company's intellectual
property, particularly Kodak's patents covering digital imaging and Motorola's
patents for wireless communications.
Motorola has always been at the forefront of mobile imaging with the
global launch of the "must have" Triplets during the fourth quarter of 2003
and the subsequent integration of cameras into its award-winning RAZR, PEBL
and SLVR phones worldwide. The fusion of voice communication with picture
imaging communication into the device that is 'always with you,' has
transformed the wireless communications industry.
Capturing moments was relatively easy for the wireless industry -- but
sharing and printing those moments and turning them into revenue streams for
wireless operators has proved to be a bigger challenge. Through this
alliance, Kodak and Motorola will develop the answer -- and they've joined
forces in an aggressive and global collaboration to bring this to market.
As Motorola contributes its knowledge of mobile devices and networks,
Kodak will contribute its knowledge of the consumer's imaging behavior. Kodak
is at the leading edge of connected imaging with the world's first wireless
digital camera, the award winning EASYSHARE-One. Because the companies will
have access to each other's technology, consumers can look forward to a more
connected world, to a time when the ability to capture an image will always be
available, when networks will exist to allow people to share images
electronically through any number of devices, from camera phones to picture
frames to products that have not yet been invented.
What's more, the advent of simple and seamless mobile imaging will
redefine the camera while enhancing existing segments of the imaging market.
Consumers, for example, will be able to more easily generate prints from KODAK
kiosks and share memories from the KODAK EASYSHARE Gallery with wireless
devices that are designed from the ground up with imaging in mind.
Under the alliance, Motorola and Kodak plan to initially expand access to
and awareness of mobile-imaging services -- including retail programs, online
services and customized operator-led initiatives that deliver a seamless, easy
experience for consumers. During 2006, Motorola plans to launch handsets with
integrated software to enrich the KODAK EASYSHARE experience, enabling
consumers to access and manage their mobile images seamlessly and
conveniently. In the years to come, Motorola and Kodak plan to deliver new
and unique imaging experiences via the collaboration of Motorola and Kodak
engineering teams, and the development of new co-created mobile devices.
This cross-licensing agreement between Kodak and Motorola delivers royalty
revenues to Kodak. In keeping with both company's policies regarding royalty
agreements, financial and other details will not be disclosed.
About Motorola
Motorola is a Fortune 100 global communications leader that provides
seamless mobility products and solutions across broadband, embedded systems
and wireless networks. In your home, auto, workplace and all spaces in
between, seamless mobility means you can reach the people, things and
information you need on the go. Seamless mobility harnesses the power of
technology convergence and enables smarter, faster, cost-effective and
flexible communication. Motorola had sales of US $31.3 billion in 2004. For
more information: http://www.motorola.com .
About Eastman Kodak Company
Kodak is the world's leading imaging innovator. With sales of
$13.5 billion in 2004, the company is committed to a digitally oriented growth
strategy focused on helping people better use meaningful images and
information in their life and work. Consumers use Kodak's system of digital
and traditional image capture products and services to take, print and share
their pictures anytime, anywhere; Businesses effectively communicate with
customers worldwide using Kodak solutions for prepress, traditional and
digital printing, and document scanning; Creative Professionals rely on Kodak
technology to uniquely tell their story through moving or still images; and
Healthcare organizations use Kodak's industry-leading products and services to
enhance patient care and maximize efficiency and information sharing across
their enterprise.
More information about Kodak (NYSE: EK) is available at
http://www.kodak.com .
MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered in the US Patent &
Trademark Office. All other product or service names are the property of their
respective owners. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their
respective owners.
Kodak, Easy Share and EasyShare-one are trademarks of Eastman Kodak
Company.
SOURCE Motorola, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.motorola.com
http://www.kodak.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020307/MOTLOGO
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020415/MOTNOTAGLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
CONTACT:
Alan Buddendeck of Motorola, +1-847-668-2229,
alan.buddendeck@motorola.com , or David Lanzillo of Kodak,
+1-585-781-5481, David.lanzillo@kodak.com
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