As the Flip cam fades, what will be next?

It is unlikely that many communicators tossed their Flip cameras in the lunchroom trash after Cisco announced it would discontinue the device.

The discussion has shifted to how things will shake out in their field without the popular Flip. Will competitors like Kodak and Sony move in? Or will smartphones eventually make the idea of a separate recording device obsolete?

Smartphones can do most of what the Flip did and more, offering editing and other functions beyond those of the Cisco camera, several experts say.

The question is whether users accustomed to a simple point-and-shoot video camera like Flip want to figure out complicated smartphone apps with more sophisticated features, such as editing, sharing on Youtube and live broadcasting.

Simplicity vs. pizzazz

Internal communicators interested in simplicity—a reliable camera without all the apps that can get in the way—will probably keep using their Flips or eventually buy rival products from Kodak and Sony, says social video consultant Paolo Tosolini. After all, you can’t lend your smartphone to a colleague rushing out to record an event.