The Flip Video camera sold like hotcakes and was once the USA's favorite camcorder, so why was it axed at the height of its success?
The Flip Video Ultra, introduced in September 2007, was available in multiple colors, could record 60 minutes of footage, and offered improved video quality over previous models(Image credit: Pure Digital)
Remember the Flip Video camera? You'd be forgiven if not, but in the mid-noughties this pocket-sized video recorder had taken the world by storm. Created by startup Pure Digital Technologies, it was a truly innovative bit of tech for its time.
Slimline, simple to use and powered by a couple of AA batteries, the handheld device soon outsold the best camcorders, which still used old-fashioned magnetic videotape to record footage; the Flip Video instead recorded directly to its built-in flash memory, which could be easily shared by plugging it into a computer's USB port.
In fact, in 2008, the Flip Video was the best-selling camcorder in the USA. But this was to be a short-lived reign, for the reasons that YouTube channel Krazy Ken's Tech Talk reveals in this entertaining and educational video. And no, this time around it wasn't killed by the iPhone…
Flip Video Was Successful! So They Killed It? - Krazy Ken’s Tech Talk - YouTube
Krazy Ken specializes in bringing the backstory behind now-defunct tech, and, as he posits, if the company behind Flip Video continued to innovate, it could have well evolved into something like the GoPro:
"Part of me thinks Flip would not have lasted more than a few years anyway mainly due to smartphones. But the other part of me thinks it could have succeeded. Compact non-smartphone cameras still exist today, like GoPro. So perhaps it could have prospered…"
Some people have described the Canon PowerShot V10 as a modern day equivalent of the Flip. Certainly in terms of its simplicity and ease of use, it feels like a spiritual successor.
For anyone who owned a Flip Video camera, this is a welcome trip down memory lane. And for anyone who missed the hype, it's a fascinating look at a fascinating time in the camera business.
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Prior to joining digitalcameraworld.com as News Editor, Adam was the editor of N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine for seven years, and as such is one of Digital Camera World's leading experts when it comes to all things Nikon-related.
Whether it’s reviews and hands-on tests of the latest Nikon cameras and lenses, sharing his skills using filters, tripods, lighting, L brackets and other photography equipment, or trading tips and techniques on shooting landscapes, wildlife and almost any genre of photography, Adam is always on hand to provide his insights.
Prior to his tenure on N-Photo, Adam was also a veteran of publications such as PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, so his wealth of photographic knowledge isn’t solely limited to the Big N.
