Canon Inc.

Tulip Licensing Ltd announced the launch of Tulip Imaging, a new patent licensing program offering access to advanced digital imaging and information processing technologies from Canon Inc., Sony Group Corporation, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., and Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corp., Ltd. The combined portfolio includes more than 125,000 patents developed through decades of research, development, and innovation by the four companies, and Tulip described it as the most significant offering of digital imaging and information processing patents. Through Tulip, implementers can access these portfolios while tailoring their licenses to include patents relevant to their specific products, technologies, and business needs. Tulip's appointment as licensing administrator reflects the confidence Canon, Sony, Huawei, and OPPO have in Tulip's team to deliver efficient, practical, and business-oriented licensing solutions. Tulip is a specialized patent licensing group that partners with leading innovators to bring strategic patent assets to market through structured, professionally managed licensing programs.

MarketsandMarkets projects the global MRI systems market will grow from USD 6.88 billion in 2026 to USD 9.68 billion by 2031, at a CAGR of 7.0%. Growth is driven by the rising prevalence of neurological and musculoskeletal disorders, an expanding geriatric population, increasing chronic diseases like cancer, and supportive regulatory and reimbursement policies. The closed MRI systems segment held the largest market share in 2025, as did the fixed/stationary design segment. Asia Pacific is experiencing rapid growth, particularly in China, India, and Southeast Asia. Key players include Siemens Healthineers, GE HealthCare, Philips, FUJIFILM, and Canon, with innovations focusing on AI-enabled workflows and helium-free systems.

The global AI-enabled imaging modalities market is projected to grow from $3.41 billion in 2025 to $17.84 billion by 2036, at a compound annual growth rate of 16.24%, according to a new report from ResearchAndMarkets.com. The computed tomography segment is expected to dominate by modality, driven by AI integration for image reconstruction, dose optimization, and automated detection in high-volume settings. North America is forecast to lead regionally due to advanced infrastructure and strong adoption of AI-integrated platforms. Key players include GE HealthCare, Siemens Healthineers, Koninklijke Philips, Canon, and Fujifilm, with recent developments such as GE's FDA clearance for AI-guided radiation planning and Canon's deep-learning CT launch.

Nintendo reported stronger-than-expected earnings for the June quarter, buoyed by tariff refunds from the US and strong sales of first-party titles. Net income reached ¥147.4 billion, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of ¥77.8 billion, while revenue of ¥517.8 billion exceeded the market expectation of ¥448.8 billion. The results were aided by refunds of import tariffs the US had imposed last year and later rescinded, which also boosted earnings at Sony Group and Canon. Robust sales of in-house games including Pokémon Pokopia and Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream helped drive revenue for the Switch 2 console, which debuted last summer at $449.99 in the US. However, analysts remain concerned about rising component prices and tariffs, as well as the lack of an outsized upcoming hit from flagship franchises like Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda.

The global mirrorless lenses market is projected to grow from $2.60 billion in 2025 to $4.80 billion by 2033, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 7.4%, according to a new report by Verified Market Research. The analysis highlights that demand is being driven by buyers prioritizing optical performance, faster autofocus, and video-ready optics, with full-frame and Micro Four Thirds sensor systems shaping distinct purchasing habits. Content creators and prosumers are identified as a primary volume driver, while professionals emphasize reliability and consistency. Asia Pacific holds an estimated 38% share of the market, making it the largest regional contributor. The competitive landscape includes major players such as Sony, Canon, Sigma, Leica, and Samyang, with differentiation centered on optical performance and lens-to-camera compatibility.

Canon reported first-half GAAP earnings per share of ¥197.36 and revenue of ¥2274.54 billion, a 3.5% increase year-over-year. The company also updated its fiscal 2026 outlook. The results were disclosed in a press release issued by Canon.

Canon has raised its consolidated net profit forecast for the fiscal year ending December 2026 to 340 billion yen, up from 333 billion yen. The new forecast exceeds the average estimate of 315.1 billion yen from 12 analysts compiled by IBES. The company had lowered its forecast in April due to rising memory costs and the Middle East situation, but has now revised it upward again.

Canon has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Mailroom Solutions and Services 2026 Vendor Assessment. The assessment highlighted Canon's integrated physical and digital mailroom, controlled modernization approach, compliance-centric delivery, AI-driven innovation, and ongoing program governance. Robert Palmer, Research Vice President at IDC, noted that Canon treats the mailroom as a risk-managed enterprise intake function, integrating physical outsourcing, digital conversion, AI-assisted automation, and governance into a single framework. Scott Paster, President of Canon Business Process Services, stated that the recognition reflects the company's ability to help clients transform incoming information into trusted, actionable data. Canon Business Process Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A.

Nvidia is widening its reach across Japan's largest industries. During a visit to Tokyo, CEO Jensen Huang announced partnerships covering robotics, health care, banking, manufacturing, automobiles, quantum computing and gaming. Japanese companies including FANUC, Sony, Hitachi, Kubota and SoftBank plan to work with Nvidia on physical AI models for robots and industrial systems. In health care, several drugmakers are using Nvidia's BioNeMo platform for drug discovery, while Canon and Fujifilm introduced medical imaging systems built with Nvidia technology. Toyota is expanding its work with Nvidia on driver-assistance software, factory simulations and traffic systems, Mizuho and Sumitomo Mitsui are building AI infrastructure for banking, and RIKEN is preparing Blackwell-powered supercomputers for scientific and quantum research.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang unveiled a broad slate of AI products, partnerships, and customer deployments at the company's Japan AI event in Tokyo on July 15. The announcements spanned physical AI, healthcare, financial services, quantum computing, automotive, manufacturing, and gaming, highlighting Nvidia's push to position its technologies at the forefront of Japan's next-generation AI infrastructure. In physical AI and robotics, Nvidia launched Cosmos 3 Edge for on-device vision reasoning, and companies including FANUC, Fujitsu, Hitachi, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kubota, NEC, SoftBank, Sony Group, and Yaskawa Electric plan to join the Nvidia Cosmos Coalition to develop open physical AI models. In healthcare, Astellas Pharma, Eisai, Daiichi Sankyo, Ono Pharmaceutical, and Takeda Pharmaceutical are deploying Nvidia BioNeMo for AI-powered drug discovery, while Canon and Fujifilm introduced Nvidia-powered next-generation CT systems, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries is advancing AI-enabled surgical and hospital robots. In financial services, Mizuho Financial plans Japan's largest on-premises AI factory for banking, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial has deployed an AI factory through Japan Research Institute, and Rakuten Bank is developing AI transaction foundation models using Nvidia Agent Toolkit. Huang emphasized that the next wave of AI will be physical AI—robots, factories, vehicles, and industrial systems that can perceive, reason, and act in the real world—and said Japan's leadership in robotics, manufacturing, and precision engineering positions it to play a leading role in this transition.

Canon Inc. announced that two of its commercial printers have received a Red Dot Design Award: Product Design 2026. The varioPRINT iX1700 sheetfed inkjet digital press and the Colorado XL-series large-format hybrid printers were recognized in the prestigious international design competition, building on earlier iF Design Award wins in Germany. The varioPRINT iX1700, developed by Canon Inc., is a high-speed digital press capable of handling up to 165 LTR and 73 B-size four-color images per minute, featuring a high-definition printhead with an ink circulation mechanism for reduced downtime and offset-like quality. The Colorado XL7 3.4-meter roll-to-roll and hybrid UVgel systems, developed by Canon Production Printing, offer a 1,141 sq ft/hour Production mode and a 753 sq ft/hour Quality mode, with features such as Piezo Acoustic Integrated Nozzle Technology for automated nozzle correction and DynamicMotion Control for on-the-fly printhead recalibration. The Red Dot Design Award, organized by Switzerland-based Red Dot Award AG and established in 1955, evaluated entries from 61 countries and regions this year across nine criteria including innovation, functionality, quality, and ergonomics.

thINK, an independent community of Canon production inkjet customers, announced that thINK Ahead 2026 will take place July 13–15 at The Boca Raton in Florida. The 12th annual event will feature the U.S. unveiling and live demonstrations of the next-generation varioPRESS iV7, Canon’s newest B2+ sheetfed inkjet press. Keynote speaker Jon Taffer, host of Bar Rescue, will deliver strategies on operational excellence and leadership. The conference will include AI-focused educational sessions, cybersecurity and postal regulation workshops, and a record-setting Partner Pavilion with more than 40 Canon production inkjet partners. Attendees will also tour the Canon Americas Customer Innovation Center and see live demonstrations of the ColorStream, ProStream, varioPRINT iX3200, and varioPRINT iX1700 presses.