Lytro willing to talk to numerous smartphone makers
updated 08:45 pm EST, Wed January 25, 2012
Talks appear to extend beyond Apple
Lytro is reportedly willing to collaborate directly with smartphone makers to bring its light-field photography technology into future handsets. In an interview with PCWorld, Lytro chairman Charles Chi noted that the company is currently set up to build and market products under its own branding, however the smartphone ecosystem is "very complex" and "very different."
"For us to compete in there, we'd have to be a very different kind of company," Chi added. "So if we were to enter that space, it would definitely be through a partnership and a co-development of the technology, and ultimately some kind of licensing with the appropriate partner."
Recent reports suggest Lytro may have already participated in talks with former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, though it remains unclear if the companies established long-term collaboration agreements.
Lytro has yet to release its light-field camera, however the technology is claimed to eliminate the need to focus shots as they are taken. By capturing light arriving at different angles, the plenoptic camera enables users to refocus the image after it has been captured.
The startup has yet to confirm specific plans to bring its technology onto smartphones. The company's standalone camera is expected to arrive early this year for $399.
