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GoPro cuts jobs after a big drop in action camera sales
It's tough times for GoPro's fledgling empire. The action camera maker is cutting the jobs of about 7 percent of its workforce (roughly 105 people) after poor sales during the fourth quarter, particularly in the first half. It doesn't have a detailed explanation for the drop, but it recently slashed the price of the notoriously expensive Hero4 Session -- clearly, it misjudged how much people were willing to pay for the tiny cube cam.
GoPro's Hero4 Session camera drops to a more reasonable $199
When GoPro launched its cube-shaped Hero4 Session camera, we wouldn't have blamed you for giving it a pass. Why pay $399/£329 (eventually $349) for an action cam whose main selling point is its size? There won't be any confusion from now on, though. GoPro has dropped the price of the Session to a far more palatable $199/£160 -- that's equivalent to the lower-end Hero+ model. You still aren't getting 4K video or an LCD, but those nice-to-have features may not matter nearly as much when you're saving this much cash.
Polaroid sues GoPro for copying a design patent
C&A Marketing Inc., the company that produces the Polaroid Cube, has filed a lawsuit against GoPro for releasing the Hero4 Session camera. On what grounds? Well, the two cameras look almost identical. Both are shaped like a cube with rounded edges, and even though the Session is able to shoot better quality video and is slightly larger than the 1.4-cubic-inch Cube, C&A is insisting that GoPro has infringed on the design patent that it received in May this year, preventing any other camera from copying the Cube's unique look. GoPro had filed a patent related to its square camera's design in March, but that specifically covered the camera's housing.
GoPro unveils a low-cost action camera with WiFi
If you've wanted a low-cost GoPro camera so far, you've had to forego wireless. That's a big sacrifice, especially when an increasing number of competitors can do more for less. The company is finally seeing the light, however. It just unveiled the Hero+, an entry-level (well, by GoPro standards) action cam that catches up in a big way. You now have to pay just $200 (£170) to get Bluetooth and WiFi instead of the usual $300-plus, which will help when you're looking for a remote control or want to send adventure footage to your phone. You'll also get a welcome upgrade to 60 frames per second 1080p video (up from the Hero's 30FPS) and a bump in still shooting from 5 megapixels to 8. The Hero+ should hit store shelves worldwide starting on October 4th, and it won't be the only relatively low-cost cam in GoPro's roster.
iFixit Hero4 Session teardown: it's impossible to repair
The new GoPro Hero4 Session is an impressive waterproof camera capable of capturing 1440 video at up to 240 frames per second without the need for a waterproof case. It's also quite expensive, retailing for $400. But is the palm-sized action-cam really worth that much cash, what with its distinct lack of replaceable parts? iFixit recently disassembled one to find out.
Meet the GoPro Hero4 Session: a tiny camera with big shoes to fill
That camera you see above is the GoPro Hero4 Session, the fifth and newest member to the company's current line-up. You can't have avoided noticing that the Hero4 Session is a small black square, and not the traditional silver matchbox, or gray lump we're used to. It's the most striking update in design we've seen from GoPro for, well, ever. The smaller, lighter form factor is the most obvious talking point, but the feature set is interesting too, for a mix of reasons.
