“GoPro Inc. (GPRO) shares plummeted as much as 15 percent today in their steepest decline since August, after Apple Inc. (AAPL) was granted a patent for remote-control camera system,” Peter Burrows reports for Bloomberg.
“Investors are concerned that the patent from Apple, the world’s largest company by valuation, will create products similar to what GoPro offers, said Charlie Anderson, an analyst at Dougherty & Co.,” Burrows reports. “Apple sold more than 270 million units of its various products in fiscal 2014, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.”
Read more in the full article here.
“Apple specifically mentions GoPro in its patent application, criticizing GoPro’s HD Hero2 digital cameras for creating ‘excessive wind resistance’ while mounted, and being ‘susceptible to damage’ from vibrations,” David Goldman reports for CNNMoney. The camera discussed in Apple’s patent application could be attached to sports equipment and can even be used to capture underwater images and sounds. Apple even patented a system that allows the camera to be controlled remotely by a smartwatch.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Edward W.” for the heads up.]
uh oh
Go Pro just got Sherlocked.
Can you say Apple Drone?
Where do I Pre-Order?
The SECOND wearable enhancement of the iPhone user experience. The FIRST being Apple Watch, of course.
iPhone, Apple Watch, and “Apple Cam”… Working apart AND in unison (with iPhone as the HUB for wearable computing). “Google Glass” done the right way.
I guess they must be having an ‘Oh-Shit’ moment at GoPro.
The thing I dislike the most about the GoPro I bought a couple years ago is the clunky interface, which can be said about most consumer electronics products. I also have a Panasonic Lumix, just for underwater shots, but the interface is soooo painful.
All they need now is some sort of head-mounted monitor that puts images and info right in front of your eyes…
😉
iPHone 6+ and a headband?
Although GoPro made a great proof-of-concept device, their stock price is INSANE! Even with today’s plunge, it is SOooooo overvalued, that only an idiot would buy it, yet the ANAL-ysts are saying buy on the dip. Craziness is contagious.
GPRO’s P/E is 185 and it pays no dividend. AAPL’s P/E is 17 and it pays one of the most generous dividends. Apple patent holdings are up 13% for 2014. GoPro has been a bad investment since it’s P/E passed whatever your magic number is. If your number is 185, only buy GPRO with monopoly money.
Kinda like Amazon “We don’t need no profits!” stock.
First of all, Apple files patents all the time. That tech may or may not ever see the light of day. I think the GPRO slide has more to do with overvalued GPRO than an Apple patent.
Second, as big of a fan of both Apple and photography as I am, some nebulous camera remote tech from Apple really doesn’t get me that excited. Even if Apple does produce something in this category, an Apple Watch and an iPhone hardly replaces a GoPro in the majority of GoPro use cases. I’m not saying GoPro couldn’t lose some sales, but this story is blowing this issue a little out of proportion.
Yep.
We have used quite a few GoPro cameras on our project and they pretty much suck. Their battery life is crap, even with the supplemental battery pack. Their construction is cheap plastic. The GoPro form factor is awkward to mount, generally requiring the use of a cumbersome plastic case. They are not designed for interchangeable lenses or even lens adapters or filters, so you either live with a very wide field of view or kludge a NFOV lens into the camera – we ended up having to epoxy the NFOV lens in place because the plastic mount cracked off. The WiFi is spotty at best. And, for all that suck, they still have a pretty steep price tag. Need I go on?
Any decent electronic product design organization with access to some optical expertise could do a much better job than GoPro.