GoPro Hero 6: Overview, Specs & Release Date

GoPro is the name synonymous with high-performance action cameras. The company released Hero4 action camera in 2014 and its successor, Hero5 last year. However, the company will not take much time to release its next version of the Hero action camera series. The GoPro Hero6 will be released in 2017 with some major changes and improvements across the board.

The company's CEO Nicholas Woodman has confirmed during a conference call with the investors that they would release GoPro Hero6 this year. This might be contributed to the fact that GoPro is facing $116 million in losses in the earnings report. The losses are the results of the company's GoPro Hero5 action camera production issue and the Karma drone issue, as reported by Engadget.

In the conference call, Woodman also emphasized and discussed possibilities for advanced users. He added that drones, virtual reality and stabilization are the various avenues for the company to grow. Additionally, he also promised that the company is working on drones and stabilization hardware with GoPro Karma and GoPro Karma grip respectively.

The GoPro Hero action cameras are also facing competition from companies such as Olympus, Garmin and Xiaomi. Their rivaling action cameras have voice controls, in-built stabilization, a GPS and water and temperature sensors. Xiaomi, on the other hand, has "Yi" action camera which has similar features to the GoPro Hero at almost half the price, as reported by DigitalTrends.

The GoPro Hero6 is expected to come with 4K video at 60fps and will be waterproof without housing. The Hero6 is expected come with a touchscreen and voice controlled user interface and advanced stabilization features. The battery life will also be improved along with advanced sharing features. The company might also bring new accessories and mounts exclusively for the GoPro Hero6. The retail price of Hero6 is expected to be similar to the price for Hero5 and fall in the $400 range.