GoPro

GoPro, Inc.
LLC
Traded as NASDAQ: GPRO
Industry Electronics
Founder Nick Woodman
Headquarters San Mateo, California, USA
Area served
 Worldwide
Key people
 Nick Woodman (CEO)
Tony Bates (President)
Products Digital cameras
Revenue Increase US$1.62 billion (2015)[1]
Decrease US$54.75 million (2015)[1]
Profit Decrease US$36.13 million (2015)[1]
Total assets Increase US$1.10 billion (2015)[1]
Number of employees
 970 as of Dec 31, 2014
Subsidiaries CineForm
Slogan Be a HERO.
Website www.gopro.com

GoPro, Inc.[2] (formerly Woodman Labs, Inc) is an American manufacturer of action cameras, often used in extreme-action videography and part of the connected sport movement.

History

The company was founded by Nick Woodman in 2002. Woodman started the company following a 2002 surf trip to Australia in which he was hoping to capture quality action photos of his surfing, but could not because amateur photographers could not get close enough, or obtain quality equipment at reasonable prices.[3] His desire for a camera system that could capture the professional angles inspired the 'GoPro' name.[4][5]

Woodman initially raised a portion of the money for his company by selling bead and shell belts for under US $20 out of his VW van[6] and later, fashionable camera straps. He also received over $230,000 in investment from his parents.[7][8]

In 2004, the company sold its first camera system, which used 35 mm film.[4] Digital still and video camera were later introduced. As of 2014 a fixed-lens HD video camera with a wide 170-degree angle was available; two or more can be paired to create 360 video.[4][9]

On June 4, 2014, the company announced the appointment of former Microsoft executive Tony Bates as President reporting directly to Nick Woodman.[10]

In January, 2016, GoPro teamed up with Periscope for live-video streaming.[11]

After growing the number of employees by more than 500 in 2015, the company responded to weak sales in the fourth quarter by cutting about 100 or 7% of its workforce in January 2016.[12]

Corporate actions

On March 30, 2011, GoPro acquired CineForm. The acquisition included the CineForm 444 video codec, used in the film Slumdog Millionaire. The company claimed that the codec "makes HD and 3D editing faster and more convenient without sacrificing image quality." It was incorporated in the company's 3D Hero System shortly after the acquisition.[13][14]

In March 2013, GoPro issued a DMCA takedown notice to website DigitalRev.com, which had posted a review[15] of its product, citing trademark use as a breach of copyright. This notice was retracted 10 days later, citing "erroneous enforcement".[16][17]

On February 29th 2016, GoPro spent $105 million and acquired two start-ups, namely, Stupeflix and Vemory for their video editing tools Replay and Splice.[18][19]

IPO

On February 7, 2014, GoPro submitted a confidential filing for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).[20]

On May 19, 2014, GoPro formally filed its S-1 with the SEC without specifying the number of shares or their price. The company stated that they hoped to raise at least $100 million through the sale of shares, using the money to pay off debt in full ($111 million as of March 31, 2014) and "to acquire or invest in complementary businesses, technologies or assets." They said that they planned to list on the NASDAQ stock exchange using the symbol 'GPRO.'[21][22]

The expected price range was $21 to $24 a share; on June 25, 2014, GoPro sold 17.8 million shares to initial investors at $24 per share (totaling $427.2M).[23] At the IPO price the company was valued at $2.95 billion.[21] 1.5 percent of those shares were allotted to LOYAL3, a technology platform that allows small investors to participate.[24][25]

An important reason for GoPro's decision to go public was the potential to become a media company to generate additional revenue from the content its cameras create.[26][27]

Product lines

HERO cameras

Woodman worked on his first camera for two years after founding the company, eventually introducing the GoPro 35mm Hero in September 2004 at San Diego's Action Sports Retailer trade show.[28] In its first year GoPro sold $150,000 worth of product.[28] In 2006 the company introduced its first Digital Hero, with 10 second video capability, and generated $800,000 in revenue. The following year GoPro sales quadrupled to $3.4 million.[28]

In 2014 the company was selling the Hero3+ in editions of different colors. It was capable of filming in 16:9 aspect ratio, supporting 4K video and 12MP still photographs.[29] The Hero 4 was introduced on 24 September 2014.[30]

Accessories

GoPro produces various mounting accessories for its cameras including a 3-way mount, suction cup, chest harness, jaws-type flexible clamp, dog harness, surfing mount, etc.[31]

Video editing

The company developed GoPro Studio, simple video editing software to edit camera footage,[32] with v2.5 released in October 2014. It was reported that GoPro intended to also become a content provider.[27]

Content company

In April 2014, GoPro was listed by Adweek as one of the "Top 10 Best Brand Channels on YouTube" based on a combination of views, shares, comments and overall engagement.[33] Content is uploaded daily, an additional source of revenue for the company.[34]

As part of its transformation to a media company in 2014, GoPro created additional channels with GoPro content on YouTube, Virgin America and Xbox Live.[26] This was extended to the PlayStation Network in 2015.[35]

HD HERO cameras

As of October 2014 GoPro sells three fixed-lens cameras, two without viewfinders and one including a touchscreen viewfinder. A 2-bit LCD on the front of the camera allows access to its menu system, which is controlled by the front and top shutter buttons. The HERO4 Black have dimensions of 41 mm × 59 mm × 30 mm and weighs 88 grams (152 grams with housing). Still images from 5 to 12 megapixels can be captured. The cameras are sold with a clear polycarbonate HD Housing with a glass lens that is rated shockproof and waterproof to 131 feet (40 m), with a quick-release buckle on the top and threads at the bottom to attach to all of the GoPro mounts. The housing has metal buttons that connect to the camera's controls and has a "skeleton" backdoor option to allow audio recording when the camera is used with a mount but without the need to be watertight or shockproof.[36]

Products

GoPro HERO 35mm, all-season sports camera

The 35mm camera (model #001) became available on April 13, 2005. It had dimensions of 2.5 by 3 inches (64 by 76 mm) and weighed 0.45 pounds (200 g). It included the camera, a clear case with quick release, a camera strap, and ski glove adapter lash. It could pivot "on the fly" and was functional to a depth in water of about 15 feet (5 m). It was described as a "reusable wrist camera" and included a roll of 24 exposure Kodak 400 film.

Digital HERO

The Digital HERO released in 2006 (Model : SQ907 mini-cam) had a 640X460 camera and shot VGA definition 320X240 (10fps) video for a maximum of 10 seconds. The Digital HERO 1 had 32MB internal memory without SD slot.

Digital HERO 3

The Digital HERO 3 released in 2007 had a 3-megapixel camera and shot standard definition 512 × 384 video. It was rated up to 30 meters (98.4 feet) in depth.[37]

Digital HERO 5

The Digital HERO 5 was first introduced on December 5, 2008. It had a 5-megapixel still photo sensor, and supported standard definition (512×384) video capture. It ran on two AAA batteries, had 16 MB of internal memory, and could function with a 2 GB SD card. Its housing was rated to 100 ft/30 meters depth. Its dimensions were 2.6 × 1.75 × 1.25 inches (66 × 44 v 32mm). The camera is not designed to work with the newer HD HERO line of housings, although the standard screw mounts are indeed compatible.

HD HERO 960

HD HERO 960 - shoots a maximum of 960p video and is not compatible with GoPro's electronic accessories although the camera is compatible with all GoPro mounts. It was first listed on August 6, 2010

HD HERO

The HD HERO Naked, released with a range of accessories, shoots a maximum of 1080p video on its 5Mp sensor.[38] The Naked camera line forms the basis for other bundles, which are differentiated by the types of mounts they have (HD Helmet HERO, HD Motorsports HERO, HD Surf HERO). It was first listed on January 25, 2010.

Specifications

Mode Size fps FOV
R1 848 × 480 60 170°
R2 1280 × 720 30 170°
R3 1280 × 720 60 170°
R4 1280 × 960 30 170°
R5 1920 × 1080 30 127°
Photo 2592 × 1944 0 170°

HD HERO2

The HD HERO2 was launched on October 24, 2011. It has an 11 MP image sensor, improved low-light capability and records at up to 120 frames per second.[39] It was sold with three different accessory packages as the Outdoor, Motorsports, and Surf Editions.[40]

HERO3

In late 2012, GoPro announced the Hero 3 line of cameras. These new cameras came in three editions: black, silver and white.

All three versions of the HERO3 come in a new 30% smaller and 25% lighter package, with WiFi functionality built in. The change of the physical dimensions of the cameras compared to the previous generations (Hero1 and Hero2 were physically identical) means that some of the camera accessories for HD HERO Original and HERO2 are not compatible with HERO3, so GoPro made new versions of those accessories specifically for Hero3 (and mostly for Hero3+, see above). Those new versions of accessories are usually not compatible with older Hero camera generations. However, a lot of other accessories are compatible with all HD Hero camera generations.

The HERO3 Silver and Black cameras have significantly less battery endurance than the HD HERO Original and HERO2.[41] For example, in 720p resolution with 25/30 FPS, while HD HERO Original and HERO2 have a stated battery runtime of 3 hours, HERO3 Silver Edition has a stated battery runtime of 2 hours, and HERO3 Black Edition has a stated battery runtime of 1.5 hours (the Black Edition's "most economical" setting is 1080p/30 FPS, so this also partially contributes to its poor battery runtime).

The Black Edition[42] has a new 12 MP sensor that can capture 4K digital video at 15 fps, 2.7K video at 30 fps, 1440p at 48 fps, 1080p at 60fps, 960p at 100fps, 720p at 120 fps and WVGA at 240 fps. The Black edition also includes the WiFi Remote. The Black Edition cannot record at 25/30 FPS in 720p and WVGA resolutions; it can only record at very fast framerates in those resolutions. This is a deliberate firmware limitation, as the manufacturer does not expect that this high-end camera model will be used at these lower resolutions and frame rates.

The Silver Edition uses the same 11 MP sensor as the HERO2, and the White edition uses the same 5 MP sensor as the HD HERO Original.

HERO3+

a timelapse recording one frame every ten seconds with a GoPro HERO3 camera mounted on a bicycle helmet during a bike ride in Chicago. Note how the wide angle lens allows for the rider to capture wide images.

In October 2013 GoPro released the HERO3+, available in Black and Silver Editions,[43] which replaced the HERO3 generation. The HERO3 White Edition remains as GoPro's low-end device.

The HERO3+ camera models claim dramatically improved low light performance, and have a waterproof enclosure which is 20% lighter and 15% smaller than the HERO3's, according to the GoPro website. The HERO3+ camera housing is 20% smaller than the HERO3. The cameras are claimed to have improved image sharpness (close focus down to 7" vs about 3 ft on the HERO3, at the expense of distant focus which is slightly less sharp with HERO3+), and better audio functionality with wind noise reduction. Battery life is claimed to be 30% longer than for the HERO3 model (both through better efficiency and a higher-capacity battery of the same dimensions).[41][44]

The Black Edition[45] has video modes of 1440p48, 1080p60, 960p100 and 720p120 as well as 4K15 and 2.7K30 and can shoot 12MP stills at up to 30 frames per second. Along with the increased resolution, the HERO3+ Black Edition also offers an optional function in firmware (called "SuperView") which increases the field of view. It has additional functions, including dynamic low light situation adjustment, higher-quality recording modes (higher bitrates, no white balance applied, etc.) etc. The Black Edition continues to include a Wifi Remote. It does not have the ability to record 25/30 FPS in 720p and WVGA modes (it can only record at very fast framerates in those lower resolutions). This is an intentional firmware limitation, as the manufacturer does not expect a camera with its capabilities to be used at low resolution and framerate. The battery runtime of HERO3+ Black Edition, is significantly longer than HERO3 Black Edition but 30–50% lower than the battery runtime of the older HERO2 and HERO1.

The Silver Edition[46] has video modes of 1080p60 and 720p120 and can shoot 10MP stills at up to 10 frames per second. In contrast to the Black Edition, the Silver Edition can record at 25/30 FPS (or higher) in all supported resolutions. HERO3+ Silver Edition also has about 25%-50% longer battery runtime during recording than HERO3+ Black Edition (they both use the same batteries).[44] The difference in runtime depends on the resolution/FPS combination, and whether WiFi and GoPro mobile application are used during recording. The difference in runtime increases as the FPS is lowered and the additional functions are deactivated on both cameras. The battery runtime of HERO3+ Silver Edition is similar to the battery runtime of HERO2 and HERO1.

The HERO3 HD camera was awarded the 2013 Technology & Engineering Emmy Award for its contribution to television.[47]

HERO4

GoPro Hero 4 Silver Edition

In September 2014 GoPro announced the HERO4, available in Black Edition and Silver Edition, which replace their respective HERO3+ generation predecessors. The Hero, a budget camera, was also announced.

The HERO4 Black Edition still has a 12 mp CMOS and a f/2.8 fixed maximum aperture and focus free. It adds Bluetooth connectivity, Highlight tag, Protune Available for photo and a new processor claimed by GoPro to be twice as fast as that of the HERO3+ Black Edition, doubling the frame rates in most resolutions. The HERO4 Black Edition can record 4K video (3840×2160) at a frame rate of 24, 25 and 30 fps.[48] In Superview mode, 4k is only possible at 25 fps. Many other rates and resolutions are available. The HERO4 Black Edition still shoots stills at a maximum of 12MP with a maximum burst rate of 30 fps. With Wi-Fi disabled at 4k/30, GoPro claims the HERO4 Black Edition battery life to be 65 minutes, increasing to a maximum of 1h 50' at 720p/240.[49] The HERO4 Black battery is in a different form factor than its predecessors. Initial side-by-side comparisons of HERO3+ and HERO4 Black edition video results suggest that the newer model has more detail at long range, and similar performance at close range.

The HERO4 Silver Edition[50] is basically a HERO3 Black Edition with the addition of a micro speaker, built-in touch screen display, Protune for photo and highlight tag the first GoPro with this, a lower clocked Cortex-A9 and missing the Black Editions integrated analog-to-digital converter which supports a wider variety of professional low-sensitivity external mics.[51] The video modes supported by the HERO4 Silver Edition are similar to those of the HERO3+ Black, due to the higher processing speed and thermal requirements of 4K video (3840×2160), but it supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and contains the same,[52][53] Ambarella Inc. A9[54] SoC as in the HERO4 Black. Hero 4 Silver known as the simplest GoPro of all time.

The HERO4 Session, released July 6, 2015, is 50% smaller and 40% lighter comparing to other versions of the GoPro HERO4 camera.[55]

The HERO4 models maintains the H.264 video codec of previous versions and MP4 file formats. GoPro claims the mono microphone in both the Black and Silver Editions has twice the dynamic range of the HERO3+, and that the HERO4 Black and Silver Editions have improved low-light performance.

HERO+LCD

In June 2015 the company started to sell a new camera: GoPro HERO+LCD, which provides video recording at 1080p at 60 fps/and 8 megapixel photos. GoPro HERO+LCD has a touch screen[56] to preview the shot to frame the scene perfectly and letting user easily navigate the menu. New feature in the camera -Instant camera editing. GoPro HERO+LCD is waterproof, because it is built directly into a waterproof case (waterproof to 131 feet (40 m)). The device also includes a feature HiLight Tagging and built-in video editing function, which allows user to put a label on the main points while shooting video or in the process of view, which makes it possible to quickly find desired footage later. Camera has built- in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Technical Specifications: Video Resolution 1080p 60fps / 720p 60fps, Photo resolution 8 mp / 5 fps burst, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, User-friendly modes like QuikCapture, SuperView and Auto Low Light, Waterproof to 131’ (40 m), Built-in touch display.

HERO+

In October 2015 GoPro released its third entry level camera: GoPro HERO+. This camera has everything similar to the previous HERO+LCD like the 1080p 60fps / 720p 60fps Video Resolution, 8 mp / 5 fps burst Photo Resolution, built in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, Waterproof up to 40m and other modes like Superview, Auto Low Light, QuikCapture and Timelapse mode which automatically captures photos at set time intervals from 0.5 to 60 seconds. However it does not have an LCD built-in touch display and it is slightly lighter than HERO+LCD. The HERO+ weighs at 123 grams whereas the HERO+LCD weighs 127 grams. The housing also remained the same. This camera is priced at $256.

Announced

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "GoPro Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2015 Results". San Mateo, California: GoPro. February 3, 2016. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  2. ↑ "FORM S-1 REGISTRATION STATEMENT - GOPRO, INC.". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  3. ↑ Mac, Ryan (4 Mar 2013). "The Mad Billionaire Behind GoPro: The World’s Hottest Camera Company". Forbes.
  4. 1 2 3 "GoPro with Founder/Inventor Nick Woodman". Malakye.com. 5 Jan 2010. Retrieved 27 Jul 2011.
  5. ↑ Burrows, Peter. "GoPro’s Incredible Small, Durable Camcorder". BusinessWeek. Retrieved 27 Jul 2011.
  6. ↑ "Five Startup Lessons From GoPro Founder And Billionaire Nick Woodman". 13 Mar 2013. Retrieved 16 Mar 2015.
  7. ↑ Brian Solomon. "Nick Woodman with his father Dean - In Photos: The Early Years of GoPro and Founder Nicholas Woodman". Forbes. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  8. ↑ "How Family Ties Helped Nick Woodman Make GoPro Click". 20 Jun 2013. Retrieved 16 Mar 2015.
  9. ↑ Williams, Owen (5 Apr 2014). "This 360 video shot with 6 GoPro cameras will blow your mind". The Next Web. Retrieved 23 Jul 2014.
  10. ↑ GoPro (4 Jun 2014). "GoPro Appoints Tony Bates as President And Member of the Board of Directors". Retrieved 4 Jun 2014.
  11. ↑ Katie Roof (26 January 2016). "GoPro Integrates With Periscope". Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  12. ↑ "GoPro Cutting About 100 Jobs After Weak 4Q Sales". February 2016.
  13. ↑ GoPro (2011-03-30). "GoPro®, Leading Activity Image Capture Company, Acquires Award Winning Video Compression Software Company, CineForm®, Inc". Retrieved 2011-08-01.
  14. ↑ Reale, Tony (2011-03-30). "GoPro, sports camera manufacturer, acquires CineForm, video compression software company". NextWaveDV.com. Retrieved 2011-08-01.
  15. ↑ "GOPRO HERO3 vs SONY HDR-AS15 - Which Action Camera should you get?". DigitalRev.com. 2013-01-21. Retrieved 2015-02-20.
  16. ↑ "GoPro doesn’t like their HERO3 compared to Sony’s AS15?". DigitalRev.com. 2013-03-19. Retrieved 2015-02-20.
  17. ↑ Leonard, Andrew (2013-03-20). "A lesson from GoPro: Don’t mess with Reddit". Salon.com. Retrieved 2015-02-20.
  18. ↑ "GoPro Shells Out $105 Million For Two Video Editing Startups To Address Its Biggest Problem". Forbes. Retrieved 2016-03-02.
  19. ↑ Roettgers, Janko. "GoPro Acquires Stupeflix, Vemory to Build Better Video Editing Software". Variety. Retrieved 2016-03-02.
  20. ↑ Demos, Tells; Sherr, Ian (7 Feb 2014). "GoPro Files for IPO Confidentially". Wall Street Journal.
  21. 1 2 Leslie Picker (26 Jun 2014). "GoPro Raises $427 Million, Pricing IPO at Top of Marketed Range". Bloomberg. Retrieved 26 Jun 2014.
  22. ↑ "FORM S-1 REGISTRATION STATEMENT: GOPRO Inc." United States Securities and Exchange Commission, May 19, 2014
  23. ↑ Krantz, Matt (25 Feb 2014). "GoPro IPO prices at $24, set to trade Thursday". USA Today Money.
  24. ↑ "Loyal3".
  25. ↑ Calvey, Mark (2014-07-03). "GoPro's IPO access for small investors sparks familiar lament". San Francisco Business Times.
  26. 1 2 Picker, Leslie (25 Jun 2014). "GoPro Touts Media Ahead of IPO for Higher Value Than Cameras". Bloomberg. Retrieved 22 Jul 2014.
  27. 1 2 Graser, Marc (5 May 2014). "GoPro Sees Future as 'Content Company'". Variety. Retrieved 22 Jul 2014.
  28. 1 2 3 "The Early Years of GoPro and Founder Nicholas Woodman". Forbes.
  29. ↑ "GoPro HERO3+ review (Black Edition): your action videos never looked so good". Engadget. Retrieved 16 Oct 2013.
  30. ↑ "GoPro Introduces HERO4: The Most Powerful GoPro Lineup, Ever". GoPro. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  31. ↑ Jennings, Ali (26 Dec 2013). "Top 10 GoPro Accessories". TechRadar. Retrieved 22 Jul 2014.
  32. ↑ Rose, Brent (9 Sep 2013). "GoPro Studio 2.0 Hands-On: Easier, Awesomer Videos (UPDATE)". Gizmodo.
  33. ↑ Sloane, Garett (22 Apr 2014). "The 10 Best Brand Channels on YouTube Go Pro No. 1, followed by Six Pack Shortcuts". AdWeek.
  34. ↑ Lev-Ram, Michal (20 May 2014). "What’s next for GoPro? Content". Fortune.
  35. ↑ Andrew Tarantola. GoPro's streaming channel finally lands on PlayStation, engadget.com, 22 December, 2015.
  36. ↑ "HERO camera - The perfect entry-level GoPro". gopro.com. GoPro.
  37. ↑ "GoPro Digital HERO 3 Sports Wrist Camera Specs - Digital Camcorders - CNET Reviews". Reviews.cnet.com. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  38. ↑ "GoPro 3D HERO System - World's Smallest 1080p 3D camera". Gopro.com. Retrieved 2011-08-01.
  39. ↑ GoPro Product Comparison, gopro.com
  40. ↑ "HERO3 Cameras | More Powerful in Every Way | Most Advanced GoPro". Gopro.com. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  41. 1 2 "HERO3 Camera Battery-life". Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  42. ↑ "GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition: Seconda solo a se stessa". InsideHardware.it (in Italian). 2013-10-25. Retrieved 2015-09-28.
  43. ↑ "Clash of the Heroes: GoPro HERO4 Black vs. GoPro Hero4 Silver". Retrieved June 14, 2015.
  44. 1 2 "HERO3+ Camera Battery-life". Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  45. ↑ HERO3+ Black Edition, gopro.com
  46. ↑ HERO3+ Silver Edition, gopro.com
  47. ↑ Nick Kelley. "GoPro Wins an Emmy", Outside, January 15, 2014
  48. ↑ James Trew. "GoPro's Hero4 cameras offer 30 fps 4K shooting or touchscreen controls". Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  49. ↑ "GoPro HERO4 Black Edition Technical Specifications". Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  50. ↑ "GoPro Hero4 Silver Edition Technical Specifications". Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  51. ↑ "GoPro External Microphone Recommendations". gopro.com.
  52. ↑ "GoPro Hero4 Black Edition Teardown (teardown.com)". youtube.com.,
  53. ↑ "Gentry Thomas Disassembled GoPro Hero 4 Silver". googleusercontent.com.
  54. ↑ "Ambarella A9 SoC" (PDF). ambarella.com.
  55. ↑ "Wearable of the Week: GoPro Hero4 Session". humavox.com.
  56. ↑ "New in line of GoPro touch screen- HERO+ LCD". goprouk.org. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
  57. ↑ GoPro drone and spherical camera, GoPro Uk, June 16, 2015. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  58. ↑ "GoPro Hero 5 release news: Next Hero action camera to be released after Karma Drone; launch date may land late 2016". www.ecumenicalnews.com. Retrieved 2016-03-14.

External links

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