From CNN Money
Layoffs, new cameras and a strategy shift. Nothing seems to be working for GoPro, which has plummeted to yet another all-time low.
After posting a huge loss last quarter, the company fired its chief financial officer and slashed its product lineup to just three different cameras.
On a conference call with investors, Woodman acknowledged concerns that GoPro can't expand beyond its niche market of people who want action cameras. He said that he's not concerned about GoPro being a niche -- instead, he says the company is focused on helping make GoPros easier to use for existing customers.
"We recognize the need to develop software solutions that make it easier for our customers to offload, access and edit their GoPro content," he said.
He also said GoPro would only sell just three cameras in the future: Hero 4 Black, Hero 4 Silver, and Hero 4 Session. It's killing off its cheapest, $130, camera called the Hero. It will also stop making the Hero+ LCD and the Hero+.
But the company isn't totally giving up on expansion. GoPro will continue with its plans to launch the Hero 5 this year as well as its new Karma drone. It also is working on virtual reality products.
"In 2016 we are committed to delivering a breakthrough -- the breakthrough experience we've all be waiting for," Woodman promised. "It's against this commitment that you can judge our performance this year."
Full article and video here
Comments
GP are decent quality but how much money to you want to risk on a drone that will crash sooner or later, or on a camera for action sports that will be crashed, drowned, smashed, lost or whatever sooner or later.
Love my GP but they are just too damn expensive.
I have a Hero3 and unless the Hero5 has some kind of interchangeable lens system, I will skip it. Just like I skipped the Hero4. With the questionable quality of the fisheye lens and considering it is mostly going to be used for YouTube videos, there really is no need for 4K.
Maybe they should try producing a camera with a decent lens?
Time to do something new GoPro. How about some 360 degree and/or stereoscopic? The same ol' thing but a little smaller or a little faster frame rate isn't going to cut it anymore. Some of the new cameras from CES this year are much more exciting that anything from GoPro.
Never heard of the yi until now. wow... looks great for the price! Might be willing to risk it for better videos if I'm not as worried about losing it on my quad knowing I'm not gonna lose $300 the second I crash.
Gopro is a great little product but massively overpriced. Products like xiaomi yi and the newer 4k chinese equivalents may not be quite as well built but near as, and for a quarter of the price. I know which one I'm going to buy for my miraculously-mostly-stays-in-the-air drone!
By going only high end I think they are really limiting thier market and driving more users to the knockoffs
Its an amazing thing. I wrote a post about how useful they might be in RPA only a handful of years ago and now they are on their way out. I can't see how the Karma can save them unless the first drone they produce hits everything else out of the park. DJI has already started predatory pricing....
@ Craig
Apple is doing the same thing. Year after year with same phones. Relying on their brand name. And its working for them. I believe GOPRO is losing alot to Chinese competition. ALOT.
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