Grim picture for pocket cameras

First-half digital camera sales in China plunged by more than one-third, the sharpest fall-off ever, as people increasingly turned to smartphones equipped with high-definition cameras, analysts said.

Fewer than 4.4 million digital cameras were sold during the first six months, a slump of 35.08 percent year-on-year, according to industry watcher China Market Monitor Co Ltd.

Industry revenue fell more than 20 percent to 9.5 billion yuan ($1.6 billion), it added.