Axis has been slow to react in general for a while now. Perhaps the Canon acquisition has had some impact internally? The lack of IR in large portions of the product range is sometimes frustrating to explain to clients. However, the M3004 must be selling enough to justify its existence in the eyes of Axis.
Axis, Time to Retire The M3004
The Axis M3004-V represents an important milestone, both for Axis historical strengths and, now more recently, their failures to adapt to a rapidly changing and tougher Chinese driven market.
In this note, we examine why the Axis M3004-V was such an important release in its time and why it now best signifies Axis' mistakes in the past few years.
$500 ** ***
**** ** ****, ** ******* **** quite *********. $*** *** * ****** good ***** *** * ** ******. From *****'* *********** ** ***$*** ** *******, **** *** **** **** ** believe *** ****** **** **** ********* back ****. *** *******, ******* *** the *** **** ****** **** (***** quite ********* ** *****'* *********) *** would****** ***** ********* **** ******* ******* problems ***** *********'* ** ******* ********* ***.
Enter *** *****
****** * ***** ***, ** **** 2012, ************* *** ***** *** ***** (**** *** *** **** *** ******** ********).
*** *****-*, * **** ********, *** an **** ** $***, * **** attractive ***** *** **** **** ***** even ******** ** *** **** *********, and * ********** *** ***** *** Axis ******* ****** ** ** ************* high.
**** ***********, *** *****-**** * *** ********* *** *** cost ************ ********* ~$*** (****** **** *** *** still *** ***** **** **** *******, professionals ************** ****** *********).
*** ****** ********* ***** ********** *** the **** *** *** ********* **** a *******.
And **** *******
*******, **** ***, ****** * ***** later, *** **** *****-* ** ***** Axis' ****** **** ****. ****' **** move ** **** ******* *** ******** *** price ** *** ***** **** $*** MSRP ** * $*** ******** ****.
** ******, ** *** ********, **** has ******** ****** ** *** ******** including * ******** **** ** *********** *** to ****-*** ***** ****** *** *** **** ********* are *** ***** ** *** **** market.
Competitive *****
** **** **** **** *****, ****' Asian *********** **** **** ******** ******** low **** *********, ********* ***** *** released ** ***** * *****. *** camera ********, * - * ***** is * **** **** **** *****.
**** ***********, *** ~$*** ** $*** minidomes **** ****** ********** (***** ** M3004's ****), ********** ** (***** ***** only *** **** ** *** *****) and ******* ******* (***** ** ****** only) *** ****** *********. *** **** M3004 ** *** *********** ***** *** price ** *** ****** *********** **** worse ***** ******* *** **** ******* use. **** **** **** ** ********** **, outdoor ***** ***** ****, ********-***, *** ** ***** ** **** than ********** ***********.
When **** **** *** **?
****** * ***** ***, ** ***** **** about **** ** ** *** ******* even ** **** **** *** ****** for *** **** ********* *** ******** fast. **** ****** *** *** ********** us ** ***** **** **** ***** do *********. ** *********, "****?" ******* that ** **** ********* *** ********** about ****' ******* ** *******.
Losing *** *** ***
*** **** *****-* *** *********** * good ****** *** *** *** *** a ***** **** ** **** **** *** quite * *** ** **** *** passed *** *** ****** *** ******* significantly.
************* *** ********* ***** *** *** enough *** **** ****** ** **** up an *********** **** ** **** *** ***** and ******** ****** ***** *******. ****** it ***** ** ********* *** **** to '***' *** **** ** *** bottom, ** ** ********* ********** *** Axis ** ******* * *** *** cost ******** ***** * ***** *** close *** ***.
They really need to come out with new lower end products every year just to stay current. Not even to compete in the race to the bottom, just to stay in the picture.
Still a good product to run your own application on, in my opinion. As long as you do not use it as a camera.
We still use the M3004's quite a bit as we're primarily an 'Axis Shop' due to remotely hosting cameras. We can't really remotely host a Hikvision for the same price (bandwitdth, etc.). But we're getting closer to really having to have that discussion about other cameras since Axis is so poor on the lower market.
And yes, the M3004 isn't even a great camera but can still serve a purpose on those decently lit retail places.
Perhaps Axis decided it doesn't want to chase that rabbit to the bottom, and that's why we've seen no successive releases to shore up the M3004 line or come out with newer low-cost cameras?
Perhaps that's their position. If it is, they should stop emphasizing the following in their financials and IR communication:
"An important factor for continued strong growth is increased penetration in installations for smaller systems and in emerging markets."
It's extremely hard to compete in the small or even medium system segment if your lowest cost dome camera in 2016 is $200.
Also, I agree with Axis' public position that the smaller systems market is important for growth, ergo why they should release a successor to the M3004.