Why does Panasonic release new cameras at the end of the year?

bgundu

bgundu

Veteran
Just curious as to why Panasonic with the DVX100, HVX200, and AF100 had Christmas time release dates? Seems kind of nutty to be doing at such busy times of the year but there must be some rhyme to this reason.
 
HPX170 released in late September, the 2/3" cameras are normally early fall or early winter, HVX200A was June. Only the "game changers" are released at year's end!
 
DVX and HMC150 were both October, IIRC. HPX300 was April, as was HPX370. So it's not all clustered at the end of the year, they release new products at all sorts of times.
 
Not sure but I think the fourth quarter is the end of the fiscal year for Panasonic, and they are motivated to ship product to make numbers. Sony's fiscal year ends in the first quarter of the year... which explains their release schedule as well.
 
It's very simple bgundu...

It's to bring a modicum of happiness to those of us with SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER.
 
I think I like Kyles's answer best. And to really answer the question is that it is not about bringing anything out at a particular time, it is really about when the product planning starts and how low it will take to bring it through the R & D cycle. Some things are a little shorter because the core technologies already exist and others are longer as those technologies have to be invented. And then it is released. So in general it takes about 18 months from beginning to end, but that is not a hard and fast rule. With the Af100 we started talking about it in May of 2009, our focus groups were held in I believe August, and we moved through the process from there. It just turns out that it mirrors the HVX200's release schedule. ;-)

Best,

Jan
 
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