First, GoPro announces a decent discount on the HERO8 Black which now costs $300 (instead of $400). Second, a new GoPro camera has been listed to the FCC. It seems that the new HERO9 is just around the corner. Let’s talk about that.
GoPro and the coronavirus
All major camera manufacturers have been negatively impacted due to the pandemic. However, GoPro has got slammed heavily. The whole idea behind GoPro action cameras is using them outside, in your vacations and adventures, which were irrelevant in the era of COVID-19. Thus, the demand for GoPro action cameras was crushed. That’s the reason for GoPro to announce on re-organization. The Actions include a $100 million reduction to 2020 operating expenses including a workforce reduction of more than 20% and plans to further reduce non-headcount related operating expenses to $250 million in 2021. We can say that the company suffers from vast competitions, as for itself, it makes valid efforts for innovation. Take for example the #HomePro challenge during the pandemic, which is a contest to utilize GoPro action cameras in the quarantine. The results are pretty awesome! Check out the video below.
Getting ready to GoPro HERO9?
GoPro has registered a new action camera code-named SPBL1 with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC). After investigating the listing, we can explore a new item in preferences called Displays instead of Touch Display in previous models. It indicates that the possibility for the HERO9 to be featuring dual displays, allowing users to see what the action cam sees from the front display (a lesson learned from the DJI’s OSMO Action). That feature may change the conservative design of the GoPro action cameras (HERO series). We’ll keep you posted about that.
$100 off on the HERO8 Black: $399 $299 on B&H
For dessert, we glad to report that the GoPro HERO 8 Black is now $100 cheaper (Memorial Day Sale). You can get it for $300 (instead of $400). According to B&H, the offer ends on May 25 at 11:59 PM EDT so it’s very limited. However, this discount by GoPro can be interpreted as a move before releasing a new model, or it could be just a simple business effort to enhance sales. Click here to purchase the GoPro HERO 8 Black.
Final thoughts
GoPro is a company that fights for its existence. Despite developing the best action camera in the market, the competition is tough and full of innovation with more affordable price points. Let’s cross our fingers to get a hell of a HERO9 newly designed GoPro camera without breaking the bank.
12bit 4:4:4 AV1 encoding in the HERO9 ?
No way 🙂