GoPro is all set to unveil its next-gen flagship Hero 6 on Thursday, September 28th. The action camera maker has been going through a rough phase. It has slashed jobs, shut down the entertainment division, and taken other initiatives to return to profitability. The GoPro Hero 6 launch event could get consumers excited about its cameras once again.
How to watch the GoPro Hero 6 launch event
GoPro has sent out invites for the Sept.28 event. The company is promoting the upcoming event as “The Moment.” GoPro did not specifically mention which products will be unveiled at the event, but the Hero 6 Black is expected to be the star of the show. GoPro CEO Nick Woodman is scheduled to take the stage at 9 a.m. Pacific Time in San Francisco.
The Moment. 9.28.17.
RSVP now: https://t.co/DmIsvdxFO5 pic.twitter.com/kI1vZqJ36s
— GoPro (@GoPro) September 25, 2017
If you want to watch the live stream of the GoPro Hero 6 launch event, head over to GoPro’s website at 9 a.m. PT on Thursday. Photo Rumors, which recently leaked the images of a finished Hero 6 Black, has learned from reliable sources that the Hero 6 could go on sale on the same day in key markets. The new action camera has already been delivered to stores across North America. Some of the stores have accidentally displayed the device a couple of weeks too early.
What to expect at the GoPro Hero 6 launch event?
Of course, you can expect the brand new Hero 6 Black. Nick Woodman had confirmed earlier this year that the Hero 6 would hit the store shelves in time for the holiday shopping season. But there is going to be much more. GoPro is expected to talk about its 360-degree Fusion camera. The rumor mill claims Fusion will also go on sale later this year. It is not yet known how much GoPro’s new 360-degree camera would cost. GoPro started sending out the Fusion to pilot testers earlier this summer.
There will also be updates to the Karma drone. The original Karma suffered from technical and production issues. According to Photo Rumors, the Karma drone V2.00 will offer “full support for Hero 6 Black” on Karma and in the GoPro Passenger app. The California company will also add a “Follow Me” mode similar to DJI’s drones. It will allow the Camera Tilt wheel to “point the camera above the horizon.” The V2.00 will also allow the drone to fly through more points in the Cable Cam Auto Shot Path.
GoPro is also expected to update the drone’s stabilizer grip that allows users to shoot with the gimbal in a handheld style. There is unlikely to be an update to the tiny Session camera, though.
GoPro Hero 6 specs and price
There have been plenty of leaks and rumors about the Hero 6 in the run-up to the Sept.28 event. It will look similar to the last year’s Hero 5, but will carry many internal upgrades. It will be water-resistant up to a depth of 33 feet. Recent reports suggest the Hero 6 will be able to capture 4K videos at 60 frames per second, which should please the professional users. The Hero 5 Black shoots 4K footage at only 30fps.
The Hero 6 will also be able to shoot 1080p footage at 240fps. It will reportedly offer better transfer speed, improved low-light performance, better digital image stabilization, and would be twice as fast as the Hero 5. The rumor mill claims that GoPro will not use Ambarella chips in the Hero 6. The company has developed its own processor called GP1 that will power the Hero 6. Using the in-house processor will allow GoPro to better integrate the software and hardware to capture better footage and offer an improved battery life.
The current top of the line GoPro Hero 5 Black sells for $400 in the United States. Recent leaks suggest that the Hero 6 would be priced at $499 in the US. According to a leaked image, the Hero 6 would sell for $649 in Canada. Another leak indicates that it would cost €569 including VAT in Germany.
Will GoPro become profitable by the year-end?
GoPro is hoping that the launch of Hero 6 would help it return to profitability by the end of this year. The action camera maker expects third-quarter revenues and gross margins to be at the higher end of its forecast of $290-$310 million and 36%-38%. GoPro has been operating at a loss for the past several quarters. It posted $297 million in revenues and $30 million in operating losses during the second quarter.