Editorial: Android cameras -- could Samsung's Galaxy gamble save the point-and-shoot industry?

[ ](http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/05/editorial-galaxy-camera-android/)

WiFi in a camera. No matter the practicality or the cost of adding wireless functionality, it's become a must for high-end point-and-shoots, and if they don't pack it now, they soon will. But access hasn't become as prolific as protocol prophets once preached -- we're at the mercy of pay gates, passwords and bandwidth limitations, even today. Our smartphones, on the other hand, are always connected. There's no need to fuss with hexadecimals or other cryptic keys -- assuming we haven't crossed an international border, getting online is as convenient as taking a breath. As the world's most prolific smartphone maker, Samsung is very much invested in cellular. Sure, there were gasps from the crowd at [last week's Unpacked](http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/29/live-from-samsung-unpacked-at-ifa-2012/), but built-in 4G makes perfect sense, and while WiFi _and_ a Micro SIM may make the [Galaxy Camera](http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/29/samsung-ek-gc100-galaxy-camera-hands-on/) an instant winner, it's Android that completes the package, as the glue that cements this latest category's promise. Samsung may be the pioneer, but should other manufacturers be scrambling to shift roadmaps, ready to embrace this new digital direction? Tap past the break for our take.

[Continue reading _Editorial: Android cameras -- could Samsung's Galaxy gamble save the point-and-shoot industry?_](http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/05/editorial-galaxy-camera-android/)

Filed under: [Cameras](http://www.engadget.com/category/cameras/), [Mobile](http://www.engadget.com/category/mobile/)

[Editorial: Android cameras -- could Samsung's Galaxy gamble save the point-and-shoot industry?](http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/05/editorial-galaxy-camera-android/) originally appeared on [Engadget](http://www.engadget.com) on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 08:30:00 EDT. Please see our [terms for use of feeds](http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).

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