Richard, this is a very well written, insightful article. Thank you for writing it. Thought provoking!
While some reflexively point at smartphones as the spectacular gorilla in the room, in this case, Canon's timing might be unusually fortunate.
Canon is seeking a younger market, and as well stated already in this thread, new generations of consumers are vital. And it's the very youngest that might be enticed away from the Swiss-Army smartphones to dedicated cameras. However, it's parents that need to be a primary target in ad campaigns.
Conscientious, thoughtful parents are learning about and understanding the developmental and emotional damage done by too much screen-time, especially with smartphones. I believe this is a growing trend. As a parent myself, I take the issue very seriously. My wife and I've already seen the negative effects of smartphones on our kids' schoolmates, and we've seen neighborhood kids become virtual shut-ins as they stay glued to screens of one sort or another.
(Our family will not allow the kids to have smartphones until college, providing them with "call and text" only devices when they are learning to drive, but not before.)
A dedicated camera can prompt kids to get outdoors and explore their world with fresh eyes as they look for new perspectives.
But here's the rub: Where will kids show their pictures? The cameras should produce great jpg's and have simple wireless transmission, but then where will the kids display the photos? If the idea with dedicated cameras is to keep the kids off instagram, etc., then how will their friends see the great photos? Will they share them only with parents?
Perhaps we could also see a revival of printing, but printing has to be simple and affordable. Printers that can produce prints up to 8.5x11 can have small footprints, but few parents are going to want to shell out for ink at today's prices, and the ability of the printer to produce the same colors and exposure as the kids are capturing has to be painless and reliable.
Another victim, I believe, of smartphones has been the "old fashioned" photo club. Why meet in person when members can just post on social media? Perhaps libraries and other kid-oriented organizations can pick up some slack, but until a critical mass of parents have realized face-to-face, not screen-to-screen, is essential to mental health, there won't be much demand.
Ok, just responding, Richard, to your excellent article!