I certainly wouldn't want to be in any camera manufacturers shoes. To have to look at the X100 and think, now what do we do.......?
I'm hoping that what they do is take note of whats mostly causing all the fuss about the X100, the viewfinder.
To a certain extent the lack of decent built in finders can be seen as a combination of laziness, cost and ease of manufacture. I just wonder how many manufacturers think that since they aim their CSC's or the like mostly at upgrading point and shooters they can "get away" with just a screen or an add-on optical or electronic viewfinder.
There was an interview with someone from Panasonic attempting to justify this with some nonsense about cool hip young dudes preferring holding the camera in front of them and boring old f***s preferring viewfinders.
Speaking as a cool hip, yet older dude I would question this. Firstly I dont know anyone with a camera, of whatever age or hipness who thinks using a screen, particularly in bright sunlight, is a satisfactory way of taking pictures. In fact many think that holding the camera in front of them is decidedly uncool.
I've shown the X100 to lots of people and once they look through the viewfinder the reaction is usually "Wow, thats great". And believe it or not some of these people are actually not receiving a pension!!
I often wonder if manufacturers and camera designers ever actually talk to people about what they want and instead of just making assumptions about us as photographers, maybe they should. I've said often enough that the question I get asked by virtually everybody who asks me for buying camera advice is can you recommend one with a decent viewfinder because using the screen is hopeless in sunlight. Unfortunately at the price point most of them mention I can't.
Back to Leica. We certainly won't see anything like a rangefinder system in an "X2" Apparently the one in the M9 costs £1500!! If it does appear, and like Don I'm somewhat skeptical, it surely has to have something better than in the X1. What that might be is anybodies guess but a slightly upgraded X1 is a waste of time and money on their part. My guess is they may leave it until they can come up with something worthwhile, possibly with Panasonic. However I am convinced they are interested in this "Serious Compact" section of the market, and probably see it as natural territory for them. I also think they won't be that bothered about bringing it in at a certain price. Leica charge what they charge and they aren't about to change that.
I also hope that Panasonic, Olympus, Samsung, Sony et al, are taking note of the X100. However I'm not convinced they will. Its cheaper and easier to make a camera without a decent viewfinder and they will attempt to justify this with their usual "People don't really want one" line.
Finally going back to this Young = Using the screen, Old = Viewfinder nonsense, could I just remind these camera manufacturers as to who is the largest section of society with the most disposible income? i.e. Who's got all the money!!
Viewfinders rule!!