Polaroid vs GoPro

[Mark Koha]

Polaroid is planning on suing GoPro over the Hero4 Session saying that they copied their design. I heard they are seeking all profits from the camera plus damages. GoPro's stock was already on a downward turn, where do you think this will take it?

[Mark Watson]

While reading a Wall Street Journal article on the lawsuit, I came across this blurb:

"If a jury decides the Session infringes on the patent, does that mean C&A owns the rights to any cube-shaped camera? Fuhu Inc. in El Segundo, Calif., and Chinese camera maker SJCam sell similar cube-shaped action cameras, while Canon Inc. CAJ -0.17 % is expected to launch a high-end, box-shaped camera in December for $30,000."

Can't wait to see what Canon has up their sleeve!

Full article:Polaroid Maker Sues GoPro Over Tiny, Cubical Camera - WSJ

Mark

[Noa Put]

What does the design of polaroid camera look like? Can't find anything back that looks similar to a gopro session.

[Nate Haustein]

Yeah, I mean, kinda similar...

Polaroid Cube HD Action Camera | Polaroid

[Mark Watson]

B & H Photo sells them.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1170535-REG/polaroid_cube_hd_lifestyle_action.html

Mark

[Noa Put]

Ha, great way to bring their cube into attention and it's half the price of the gopro :)

[Matt Sharp]

I didn't think they were of similar size until I found this video, the first ~minute shows a good visual comparison.

GoPro Hero 4 Session vs Polaroid Cube - YouTube

[Noa Put]

The gopro clearly resolves more detail and has a better codec , looks like it's worth the pricedifference. Not sure what polaroid wants to achieve, they better spend their time in improving the camera :)

[Dan Brockett]

With as much money as Go Pro has made, they can definitely afford the best attorneys and to pay off Polaroid to go away. This will be a blip on the radar, Go Pro is massively successful.

[Mark Koha]

They are successful but their stock is down 17% already. They under shot their Q3 goals by something like $30 million.

[Steven Davis]

Originally Posted by Mark Koha

They are successful but their stock is down 17% already. They under shot their Q3 goals by something like $30 million.

I figured with all the drone fever that GP stock would go up. Kinda surprised.

[Mark Koha]

It might very well at Christmas. Lord knows every little bastard is getting a drone this year and they'll be damn near illegal this time next year :)

[Steven Davis]

Originally Posted by Mark Koha

It might very well at Christmas. Lord knows every little bastard is getting a drone this year and they'll be damn near illegal this time next year :)

I'm going to wait a bit till the technology is refined to buy a drone, that and I know I'll probably spend 3k on it, so I'll wait for one with first class seating and free peanuts.

[Dan Brockett]

Originally Posted by Mark Koha

They are successful but their stock is down 17% already. They under shot their Q3 goals by something like $30 million.

This is surprising, but overall, they have still been majorly successful.

Personally, I feel that their marketing segmentation is totally wrong. Lots and lots of pros use Go Pros to make television and features. We are pretty much stuck with the Hero 4 Silver or Black as working pros, while consumers buy all of the lower end models, none of which can do 24p. While I like that they are coming out with a drone and a VR product, the smart thing to do would be to expand the pro offerings to a removable lens model for $800.00 to $900.00, sell a line of lenses, extended much longer run time battery offerings, better sensor and codec options, especially real RAW, not just "Flat". Much smaller market but much greater profits if they made Go Pros into more professional tools while still retaining the ruggedness and simplicity that Go Pros are desirable for.

Many of us already buy a Silver or Black, a raft of extra batteries and chargers, third party crappy lenses, tons of accessories, either made by Go Pro or third party knockoffs. There are a lot of rental houses and production companies who would gladly pay $1,000.00 for a pro level Go Pro that offered these features because by the time you buy a black, a ton of batteries, chargers, card, housings, mounts, third party lenses, etc. you can easily spend $700.00 to $800.00 per Go Pro. I worked with a Go Pro specialist for real production a few weeks ago and he often rents ten or twenty at a time for productions, especially Reality shows. For that audience, they would be willing to pay a lot more for a more professional level Go Pro product.

Keep the consumer stuff where it is, I think they do really well at marketing that and the consumer level segmentation seems smarter. If I am a surfer or extreme sports person, the Go Pros they already make and market work fine. I do think that Go Pro is missing the boat on Go Pro branded gimbals or an Osmo-like solution. Go Pros and gimbals seem like salt and pepper, they go well together and there is obviously a huge market looking for that. A ruggedized, waterproof gimbal would be a game changer and Go Pro could come up with one.