All successful companies in today's market, really successful billion dollar companies in electronics or DOT com are selling to the masses. The money is in billed monthly subscribers, it's not the iPhone itself. The vendors supplying parts or software, vendors involved with logistics, marketing and financial institutions all profit from a viral mass consumer want. Take that idea down to Hasselblad's company level and look forward from there, I don't see a big opportunity for Hasselblad to get that kind of market share. On the other hand the MFDB business is small but there is room for several to stay and gain market share by offering similar products at varying levels of price points. Now because of pressure from competitors the iPhone as well as the new H5D has a life cycle in sight, that means R&D needs to be working on new introductions that can keep a product viral. The V system might have been a lucky bandaid for them stay profitable while developing a viable strategy to survive (I hope) and the new CMOS but like the iPhone sales will become stagnant with out a product taking a new direction. Now that 100mp backs are real institutional customers might decide that multi shot is too much and they can live with one multi shot back which they already own and buy a couple of 100mp backs to do the grunt work, that's my guess!
The consumers demands and wants need to be granted for Hasselblad or anyone else to continue in today's market. Involvement of third parties, cooperative business with Sony, Panisonic and Fuji enables Hasselblad to answer the consumers wishes. Thinking about basic wants nothing has changed from the last century smaller is better, lighter is better, faster is better, simpler is better, more powerful is better, better looking, feeling and weatherproofing is better. Less expensive is better, to the masses. And to me a real viewfinder is better. Also digging through menus is not better buttons are. Small print dimly lit doesn't work for me either, in other words older people have different needs than 20 year old, and a little tip they also have more money so pull the chair out from under your F-IN R&D department and have them stand up working for hours like we do with a 5' tripod camera atop or have them walk around 5 days a week holding a H5D with a 120mm glass attached raising and lowering it 400-800 times a day and then let them tell me what a great piece of equipment they made and how they think Pigs can fly. People today you can have 10 frames a sec at 800mm for less weight and price of a Hasselblad lens that is something to pay attention to.
