Industry

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Insta360 Goes Public in China, 33-Year-Old Founder Now a Billionaire

360-degree camera and technology company Insta360 has gone public on the Chinese stock market, and the company's shares surged to nearly 180 yuan, or about $25, an almost four-fold increase from its initial public offering (IPO) price of 47.27 yuan per share. The company is now valued at 71 billion yuan, or nearly $9.9 billion, making its 33-year-old founder, Liu Jingkang, also known as JK Liu, a billionaire, Forbes reports.

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South Korea Opens Its First Public Museum Dedicated to Photography

South Korea has unveiled its first public museum dedicated entirely to photography, marking a significant milestone for the country’s cultural landscape. The Photography Seoul Museum of Art, a new addition to Seoul Museum of Art’s network, officially opened on May 29 in Dobong-gu, a district in northern Seoul.

Two men pose closely together for a black and white portrait. The man on the left is bald, wears glasses, and leans his head on the other man's shoulder. The man on the right has short hair and wears a sweater, looking directly at the camera.

OpenAI Buys Apple Vet Jony Ive’s AI Device Startup for $6.5 Billion

OpenAI is targeting AI-powered hardware in a big way. The AI tech company is purchasing io, an AI device startup, for nearly $6.5 billion. The startup was co-founded by veteran Apple designer Jony Ive, who left the company to form a design outfit, LoveFrom, in 2019. It is OpenAI's priciest acquisition yet.

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Those Rumored Sony Price Increases Appear To Be Real

Last week, an un-cited report alleged that Sony was about to initiate price increases across a range of its photo products, including accessories, compact cameras, and lenses. The supposed increases varied between 10% and 35%, but Sony declined to comment on the veracity of the report.

Two small flags, one of the United States and one of China, stand crossed on a silver base atop a table with blank papers and pens, suggesting a formal meeting or negotiation setting.

US and China Reach Trade Truce and Slash Tariffs for 90 Days

U.S. and Chinese officials had their promised trade talks over the weekend, emerging on Monday morning with a significant reduction in tariffs for 90 days while negotiations continue. The 90-day pause is good news for many tech and photography companies, although it remains unclear how each will navigate the turbulent waters.

A collage of shipping containers with the United States flag on the left and the China flag on the right, symbolizing trade relations between the two countries.

Trump Says 80% Tariff on China ‘Seems Right’

Many photographers and photography businesses have been feeling the impact of the Trump administration's 145% tariff on China. Ahead of a weekend meeting between top American and Chinese trade officials, President Trump has tossed around the idea of an 80% tariff on China.

A flat lay photo features a Leica camera centered, surrounded by a pen, an external flash, a smartphone displaying a Leica camera image, a black leather camera case, and wireless headphones. The neutral background highlights the sleek, modern gear.

Leica Hikes Prices as Much as 90%

As PetaPixel reported last week, Leica's prices are increasing in the United States thanks to tariffs. The scale of the price increase is, in some cases, extreme. Certain Leica products are nearly twice as expensive now.

A black camera with a leather strap lies on a wooden surface, partially illuminated by sunlight, casting soft shadows.

How Trump’s Tariff Chaos Impacts Small American Photo Companies

President Trump's tariffs are having a significant impact on the photography industry. Heavy hitters like Leica have raised prices in the U.S. (and Canada), and Canon Inc. confirmed prices will increase on some of its products in response to tariffs, to name just a couple of examples. However, the exceptionally high (as much as 145 percent) tariffs on imports from China are having an extensive, unpredictable impact, even on companies that make their products in the United States, like Clever Supply Co.

Leica company logos

Leica Raises Prices in Canada Because of US Tariffs

Leica will increase the price of its products in the United States as a result of the blanket tariffs announced by President Donald Trump earlier this year. While this is an expected result stateside, it is having an adverse effect on cameras sold in Canada, too.