Filed under: Hardware, Multimedia, Software, Internet, Internet Tools, iPhone
iPhone usage metric for Flickr drops big time
TNW suggests that the problem is the Flickr iPhone application, which will upload pictures straight to the service -- but not include metadata information like the fact that the pictures were taken with the iPhone. Still, even they sound a little skeptical: not all of that drop can be attributed to just the Flickr app's shortcomings. They also suggest that the iPhone is wearing out its welcome -- lots of people jumped to use it as a camera when the 3GS introduced a better lens and the video capability, and now in day-to-day use, they're not using it as much. Other commenters to the post suggest that the vastly improved Facebook app may be eating away at the use of the built-in Camera app.
I know that my photo habits for the phone haven't changed -- I use the iPhone quite a bit to take pictures, but looking at my own usage, I don't use Flickr nearly as much these days, as I use services like Twitpic and other sites built up directly around the iPhone. A drop in usage on Flickr doesn't mean people aren't using their iPhones to take snapshots -- they could just be sending their photos and media somewhere else.
Update: One of our commenters, echoed by our old friend & past colleague Barb Dybwad at Mashable, notes that Apple's change to the EXIF data recording for iPhone photos (breaking out the different iPhone models to indicate which specific phone took the picture) may be partly responsible for the drop.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dustin Ravize said 12:40PM on 9-15-2009
Doesn't flickr only allow basic users to upload only a certain amount of pictures per week or month or something? Couldn't that be a factor that people have exceeded their quotas?
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david said 1:03PM on 9-15-2009
This just in: TUAW reports old news
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Greenie said 1:54PM on 9-15-2009
No older than this comment, I assure you.
Matt Galligan said 1:05PM on 9-15-2009
It's probably a combination of a lot of things, but I think mostly it's actually Apple.
As of the 3.1 OS update, Apple has started to append proper EXIF identification data to the different phone models. Photos uploaded by now say "iPhone", "iPhone 3G" or "iPhone 3GS".
You can see that on a photo page like this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/indiekid/3913167034/
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mustangdco said 2:38PM on 9-15-2009
Also, could be a big increase in higher-level cameras due to school starting up again and photography students all over beginning to upload images. That factor, coupled with the Facebook and Flickr apps, could result in the general downturn.
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Anthony said 1:42PM on 9-15-2009
I would say, I'm posting less new photos to Flickr and more on Facebook (latest version of Facebook iPhone app has this new ability). Makes it easier to share with my friends.
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mr kitty said 2:16PM on 9-15-2009
I'd think flickr's overall stats -- or at least mobile usage stats -- would be essential for comparison.
Has their use gone down or growth slowed (as would be the case if Facebook / twitter services were eating away at their market share)?
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Mike said 2:26PM on 9-15-2009
I use Flickit on my 3GS and it imports the metadata and sends it with the photo.
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peter said 2:29PM on 9-15-2009
It isn't just the Flickr app that is stripping out EXIF info. For example, I use the app Photogene alot, and it too (frustratingly!!) strips out which camera was used.
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Joanna D said 2:55PM on 9-15-2009
You guys must really hate this app.
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Frank said 2:57PM on 9-15-2009
quote: "I don't use Flickr nearly as much these days, as I use services like Twitpic and other sites built up directly around the iPhone."
^^this sums up my experience these days, too. i'm sure we're not alone.
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jollyllama said 5:04PM on 9-15-2009
Flickr isn't great for the quickly sharing pictures of your friends last Saturday night purpose. Most people are using Facebook for that - Flickr is a better service for amateur photographers looking to hone skills by sharing with other amateur photographers. I use flickr as a kind of social portfolio service, while Facebook is for goofy shots.
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Alex in Amsterdam said 4:40PM on 9-17-2009
Or maybe people are realizing what crappy photos the iPhone takes!
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