GoPro cutting 7 percent of its workforce

Re:GoPro cutting 7 percent of its workforce by Someone1234 on Wednesday January 13, 2016 @05:12PM (#10898000)

If you didn't look into it yet, it hardly indicates you know nothing about business. Randomly picking companies to examine further is a perfectly reasonable way of trying to find investments (and what stops you following the crowd).

In my OPINION GoPro's problem is that they haven't diversified in any significant way. Here's a list of products GoPro sells: GoPros (and accessories). That's it.

But this area has hardly been standing still. We've seen drone-cameras take off, including the ingenius ones which follow you (e.g. Lily), we've seen those throw-up 360 degree cameras, smaller versions (e.g. Mokacam), and a near constant stream of less expensive generics which do 90% of what a GoPro can do (and can even use GoPro's accessories).

GoPro had a MASSIVE market lead and still does, but they're squandered much of it on reproducing the same product over and over until the market is saturated.

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Re:GoPro cutting 7 percent of its workforce by Spooky23 on Wednesday January 13, 2016 @05:16PM (#10898038)

It's also probably a fad. There's only so many times filming yourself skiing is compelling.

Faddy product + long term displacement by random Chinese companies for 1/8 price == fail.

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Re:GoPro cutting 7 percent of its workforce by gozur88 on Wednesday January 13, 2016 @07:18PM (#10898740)

This. How many people get dropped off by a helicopter for skiing or fly around in wing suits? Not enough to support a camera maker. GoPro is marketing a lifestyle, and it's a heavily idealized lifestyle.

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Re:GoPro cutting 7 percent of its workforce by funinobu on Wednesday January 13, 2016 @07:44PM (#10898852)

Meh, so is Red Bull marketing a lifestyle. But you have to be good at it. A couple years ago it seemed like every pre-teen snowboarder had one on their helmet. They failed to maintain their momentum.

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Re:GoPro cutting 7 percent of its workforce by secabeen on Wednesday January 13, 2016 @07:53PM (#10898893)

True, but Red Bull is selling a consumable. One GoPro will last you for years. One Red Bull will last you for 30 minutes.

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Re:GoPro cutting 7 percent of its workforce by douche on Wednesday January 13, 2016 @08:25PM (#10899008)

As long as they keep producing college kids, Red Bull has an automatically-replenishing consumer base, and sell a product with addiction potential...

Now, if they were to vertically integrate and buy a cut-rate vodka distillery business \s

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Re:GoPro cutting 7 percent of its workforce by Avalaxy on Wednesday January 13, 2016 @05:15PM (#10898025)

To be fair I don't think any of the cheaper knock-off products come anywhere close to the quality that GoPro produces, both in terms of solidness and image quality?

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Re:GoPro cutting 7 percent of its workforce by bduerst on Wednesday January 13, 2016 @05:22PM (#10898078)

They're almost all standard CMOS camera sensors, so depending on what you're wanting to do (action images, streaming video, etc.) you should compare on those features.

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Re:GoPro cutting 7 percent of its workforce by foobarqux on Wednesday January 13, 2016 @05:25PM (#10898095)

The Xiaomi cam looks like it has virtually identical image quality for $60. You give up water-proofness but you can get a waterproof case add-on.

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Re:GoPro cutting 7 percent of its workforce by jonknee on Wednesday January 13, 2016 @05:42PM (#10898217)

GoPro's aren't waterproof either, they require a waterproof housing.

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Re:GoPro cutting 7 percent of its workforce by lukeschlather on Wednesday January 13, 2016 @05:56PM (#10898317)

The built-in waterproofing is a big deal. As is the sturdiness of the case. Doesn't matter if I'm biking, swimming, diving, snowshoeing, I can always have my GoPro with me and I know it will always be available to take a video at a couple seconds' notice.

I can't imagine I'd have the same confidence in a cheaper camera with a waterproof case add-on that I do in my GoPro. Also, the $130 I paid for the entry-level model was a good price.

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Re:GoPro cutting 7 percent of its workforce by jkestner on Wednesday January 13, 2016 @11:15PM (#10899598)

  We've seen drone-cameras take off, including the
  ingenius ones which follow you (e.g. Lily)

Literally have not seen Lily take off. It doesn't ship until summer.

GoPro is of course trying to diversify. The question is, what will their selling point be as the marketplace gets crowded? Will brand+distribution be enough?

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Re:GoPro cutting 7 percent of its workforce by kqr2 on Wednesday January 13, 2016 @05:24PM (#10898086)

If you know of a low cost alternative which has good image quality, please let me know -- in particular for low light conditions.

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Re:GoPro cutting 7 percent of its workforce by MRSallee on Wednesday January 13, 2016 @05:39PM (#10898187)

Haven't used it myself, but the Xiaomi (http://amzn.to/1UPTQNl) is a popular GoPro clone that sells for cheap and has been reviewed surprisingly well. Low light is probably still in the GoPro's favor, but check out some YouTube comparisons -- they're not far off.

IMO, GoPro's biggest issue is usability, and it's an area where they could fight back against cheap knockoffs. GoPro cameras are frustrating to use, and editing hours of footage is not something most people enjoy doing. A commenter above suggested most owners use the GoPro a few times and then forget about it. Usability is, IMO, why.

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Re:GoPro cutting 7 percent of its workforce by gruez on Wednesday January 13, 2016 @08:50PM (#10899116)

Please disclose that you're using a referral link.

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