matthewcyho
Newly Enlightened
When will the flashlight brand have a new model or new flashlight ? Every Month or ... ?
When will the flashlight brand have a new model or new flashlight ?
- Thread starter matthewcyho
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Robin24k
Flashlight Enthusiast
Depends on the brand, but generally once a year. New products are typically unveiled at trade shows such as SHOT, NRA, Police Week, OutdoorRetailer, IACP, etc. These shows take place throughout the year.
If it's a mass-production manufacturer (Maglite, Streamlight, SureFire, etc.), the product development cycle will take much longer than a smaller-scale manufacturers (Fenix, 4Sevens, etc.). When production volume is counted by the million and the company has a reputation to uphold, you want to make sure everything is done right the first time, otherwise it'll be a costly fix. There's also the issue of contracts. Purchasing items in large quantities gets you a better price, but you're required to purchase a certain amount to get that price, and you can't cancel just because something better is available. Neither of these issues affect smaller-scale manufacturers, so they are able to refresh products very quickly, such as updating the product a new LED bin.
Not only does more time goes into development, but even more time goes into testing & evaluation. For example, a new rechargeable battery to be used in the Streamlight Stinger series has to undergo about half a year of testing before that supplier is approved.
At the end of the day, it boils down to the target market. Lights designed for the enthusiast market don't need such stringent tests because the market wants the latest and greatest, so the faster your update cycle, the more sales you generate. Lights designed for the professional market requires stringent tests because users' jobs (or even lives) depend on having a reliable tool. Looking at the warranty is an easy way to tell. You'll find lifetime warranties on lights designed for reliability.
If it's a mass-production manufacturer (Maglite, Streamlight, SureFire, etc.), the product development cycle will take much longer than a smaller-scale manufacturers (Fenix, 4Sevens, etc.). When production volume is counted by the million and the company has a reputation to uphold, you want to make sure everything is done right the first time, otherwise it'll be a costly fix. There's also the issue of contracts. Purchasing items in large quantities gets you a better price, but you're required to purchase a certain amount to get that price, and you can't cancel just because something better is available. Neither of these issues affect smaller-scale manufacturers, so they are able to refresh products very quickly, such as updating the product a new LED bin.
Not only does more time goes into development, but even more time goes into testing & evaluation. For example, a new rechargeable battery to be used in the Streamlight Stinger series has to undergo about half a year of testing before that supplier is approved.
At the end of the day, it boils down to the target market. Lights designed for the enthusiast market don't need such stringent tests because the market wants the latest and greatest, so the faster your update cycle, the more sales you generate. Lights designed for the professional market requires stringent tests because users' jobs (or even lives) depend on having a reliable tool. Looking at the warranty is an easy way to tell. You'll find lifetime warranties on lights designed for reliability.
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