Thats the title of an article by Elsa Dorfman that i cam eacross on the Internation Herald Tribune.
Elsa laments the decline of Polaroid and its decision to no longer make instant film. She compares Polaroid in the 60s and 70s to the iPod of today.
But the most beautiful question she asks is why the legions of MBAs generated in the US could not save the instant film business.
I know little about the Polaroid to respond to her. But i would like to assure her that it will not be the last time an iconic brand gives up its traditional (original) line of business.
Nokia. They have a phone/ music player/ torchlight / radio all built into one. No one in rural India buys a torch anymore. Nor a radio player.
Apple went a step further and built style into the above mix.
The day is not far that my Apple iPhone will be the size of a wristwatch. What then will happen to Casio, Swatch or these guys in the wrist watch business?
The world will seek convenience. And it will continue to search for the one device that rules them all. Technology will make it possible to dream smaller more powerful devices. Companies that stop seing convergence and miniaturisation of their businesses will go the Polaroid way. Sony would vouch for that.
Convergence and Miniaturisation.
Ritu and Venkat
Tuesday 13 January 2009
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