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Kodak Image Access Standard Overview for Developers (pdf, 37k)
Kodak Image Access Standard Retailer FAQ's
Kodak Moves to Open Architecture for Digital Photofinishing Systems;
Move Will Help Retailers Retain Customers, Drive Industry Growth
Infrastructure-Building Move to Speed Creation, Adoption of Technology, New Services
ROCHESTER, N.Y., October 31 - Eastman Kodak Company today announced it will establish a Kodak photofinishing architecture standard for the software used to run its retail digital equipment, enabling greater innovation in the development of digital products and services. This will provide retailers with greater choice in the products and services they can offer to their customers, and marks the first such move by any manufacturer in this area.
Just as the growth of chemical-based photofinishing accelerated once consumers were able to bring any brand of film to any retailer, the establishment of a standard software platform will promote the long-term expansion of digital photofinishing among retailers. Over time, consumers will have the same easy ability to receive prints and transmit images through digital systems that they currently enjoy using traditional photo processing. What's more, a standard software platform gives software developers more incentive to create new and better programs for working with digital images.
"By making the Kodak Image Access Standard available to third-party developers, we'll spur the development of new software, hardware, and services that will work seamlessly with Kodak's retail digital equipment, " said Karen Smith-Pilkington, general manager of the output business within Consumer Imaging and a company vice president. "This ultimately will give Kodak's retail partners, who have deployed more than 35,000 Kodak digital systems to date, new choices of products and services to offer, from Kodak as well as from other software providers. "
Giving retailers more ways to tap into the expanding digital photofinishing market will, in turn, accelerate the rate at which onsite labs adopt retail digital systems and new services.
"This benefits both the retailer and the consumer," Smith-Pilkington added. "Retailers will find it easier to incorporate online photofinishing and in-store print fulfillment into their existing operations and they'll offer consumers an increasingly wide array of innovative new services, driven largely by software applications enabled by the Kodak Image Access Standard. "
In conjunction with the open architecture, Kodak will offer two software developer's kits (SDKs) available through a special Web site: www.kodak.com/go/KIASdevelopers.
Early adopters expected to develop and offer solutions that will take advantage of the open standard include America Online Inc., Phogenix Imaging, FotoWire Inc., Graphx, Inc., Lifepics, Inc., and Open Graphics, Inc. Lifepics, for example, plans to use the open standard to develop online imaging stores retailers can weave into their existing photofinishing services.
"The Kodak Image Access Standard allows third-party developers to take digital imaging to another level, to put together elements that manufacturers simply aren't offering," said Vahe Christianian, President and CEO of Lifepics, Inc., Boulder, Colo. "For example, with the access standard, we can provide an individual retailer using Kodak systems with an online imaging store that's tailored specifically to its business needs and customer base. In effect, we can help retailers tie together the personalized service of an onsite lab with the convenience of the Internet."
Toronto-based OpenGraphics is creating products that will help retailers get more value out of their digital minilabs. The company's software spans consumer desktop, server and minilab components automating the entire process from capturing the Internet print order made from the PC through final minilab fulfillment. Much of the information that normally would be entered manually by an operator, such as cropping and print size, is entirely automated, requiring no operator intervention. It also provides greater ability to manage print jobs and workflow.
"Rather than just sending an image, our software electronically delivers the image, cropping information, number of prints and other order data right into the digital lab system," said Stephen Sutherland, OpenGraphics president and CEO. "Our software also can give minilab operators the ability to group similar print jobs together, making best use of the print paper. Both features allow processors to become more efficient and more profitable while delivering a broad range of products from photo business cards to 12 x 18 enlargements.
"Kodak is the leader in providing third parties the ability to connect to its equipment such as its digital minilabs," said Peter Traversy, president of Graphx, Inc., Woburn, Mass. By writing its Photogize software to Kodak's new open standard, Graphx will give retailers using KODAK DLS minilabs the ability to offer an Internet preview-and-select function. "With this system, consumers can drop off film in the morning, receive an email at noon with thumbnails of their images, and select and order prints and enlargements from that email - while their enthusiasm is at its highest -- that they can pick up on their way home. This ability to preview and select over the Internet only exists with the KODAK DLS minilabs thanks to Kodak's bold move with open standards and the DLS minilab's unique ability to archive digital photographs."
"Phogenix Imaging has designed its digital photofinishing systems to provide an open architecture to give retailers maximum flexibility as they develop their own digital strategies," said John Ward, vice president and chief marketing officer of Phogenix Imaging based in San Diego. "Kodak's Image Access Standard is an important step in enabling this open architecture approach and will increase the speed in which digital solutions are adopted in retail."
Kodak anticipates that with the KODAK Image Access Standard, consumers will soon:
- Print Images stored on a home computer at a retailer's Digital Minilab … thereby building digital fulfillment at retail.
- Use any KODAK Picture Maker to access pictures from any online picture archive, download selected images and print them on the spot.
- Download and print at retail - either through a Picture Maker or digital lab with KODAK DLS software - images from an online library such the collection of space images maintained by NASA.
- Access from home pictures stored on a database maintained by their retail photofinisher, select images and arrange them into a different form, such as a year in pictures CD-ROM, which the retailer would produce.
- Easily access and email thumbnail images of their pictures - a big advantage where online access is expensive or connection speeds are limited, as the smaller files take less time to transmit.
The deployment of digital photofinishing equipment signals the continued expansion of infrastructure to support infoimaging, a $225 billion market opportunity based on the convergence of images, and information technology. With an open systems architecture such as that planned by Kodak, all members of the photography and imaging industry will be able to interconnect their products and services for the benefit of consumers, leading to a larger total market.
Kodak alone has placed more than 35,000 free-standing photo kiosks, workstations, and DLS labs at retail locations around the world. Under Kodak's planned open systems architecture, these systems also will be enabled to work with third party solutions, providing consumers with new services, flexibility, and even more convenience.
Kodak Image Access Standard (KIAS) Overview for Developers (pdf, 37k)
Kodak Image Access Standard (KIAS) Retailer FAQ's
Q: Why isn't Kodak developing all the applications for kiosks and digital minilabs?
A: Retailers need solutions to fit unique applications, market niches, and regional needs. By enabling independent developers, retailers will be able to select from a myriad of off-the-shelf solutions, as well as contract for development of custom applications. More applications and services, delivered faster, create greater choices and opportunities for retailers.
Kodak will continue to develop applications that are based on proprietary Kodak technologies for kiosks and digital minilabs.
Q: How will Kodak Image Access benefit retailers?
A: Innovations from solution providers will provide more choices for retailers, allowing them to build additional profit potential by differentiating their business in new and unique ways. Increased demand from consumers for the new products and services will drive business growth for retailers, open up new market segments and support customer retention.
Q: Why do you say the Kodak Image Access Standard (KIAS) will speed consumer adoption of digital imaging?
A: The more opportunities consumers have to be exposed to digital imaging, the sooner they will adopt it. KIAS opens the door for individual onsite labs to interact directly with consumers and digital images. That means consumers can enjoy the benefits of digital imaging along with the comfort of dealing with retailers they've come to know and trust.
The vast majority of photography is done on film. Kodak's Retail Digital Systems are "capture neutral" - they enable the benefits of digital imaging for both film and digital camera users. KIAS helps speed adoption by enabling film users to enjoy the flexibility and new options afforded by digital imaging more broadly.
Q: How does someone get the Kodak Image Access SDK's?
A: Developers can find an order form for the Kodak Image Access SDK's at www.kodak.com/go/KIASdevelopers.
Also available at this website are documents describing the size and scope of the Retail Imaging Industry, Kodak Retail Systems, technical specifications for the SDK, an overview of the Kodak Network Photo Systems Patent Licensing Program, and support information for the SDK. Registration as a member of the Kodak Developer Relations Group is required to download the order form and documents.
Q: Will the Kodak Image Access Standard work with other digital minilabs?
A: The Kodak Image Access Standard will allow other manufacturer's equipment to interface with Kodak Retail Digital Systems. The decision to support this connectivity will rest with the individual manufacturers.
Q: How will I be able to find out who has applications that have utilized the Kodak Image Access Standard?
A: Such firms will naturally develop their own Marketing Communications with their target audiences via trade shows, advertising, direct mail and other vehicles.
In addition, Kodak will provide a continuously updated Third Party Solutions Catalog at www.kodak.com/global/en/consumer/dls/solutions/index.jhtml.
Q: How much will the phone support for licensed developers cost and how do I sign up for it?
A: Support for developers will cost $250 per hour. Further details are available at our website www.kodak.com/go/KIASdevelopers.
Q: Will Kodak's Network Photo Systems Patent Licensing Program affect me if I have an application or service enabled by the Kodak Image Access Standard?
A: Kodak's Network Photo System patent licensing program affects owners and operators of online photo systems, whether or not they use the Kodak Image Access Standard as part of their online photo system. Kodak believes that many users of applications developed with the Kodak Image Access SDK will be using those applications as part of an online photo system, and that such use would require the owner or operator of the online photo system to be licensed under Kodak's Network Photo Systems patent licensing program.
Kodak will be contacting all licensees of the KODAK Image Access SDK to provide them with additional information about the Network Photo System patent license program. The information will include a description of the patent license program and representative listing of applicable patents.
Person's interested in the Network Photo System patent license program may also contact Kodak directly. Inquiries should be directed to Joseph F. Ruh, Corporate Commercial Affairs, Eastman Kodak Company, 343 State Street, Rochester, NY 14650-0211, Telephone: 585-781-5742, Facsimile: 585-724-9563, Email: joseph.ruh@kodak.com.
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