GoPro Shares Tumble After Apple Granted Remote Control Camera Patent

[MacRumors]

Shares of personal camera maker GoPro fell 12 percent as trading volume doubled yesterday following the publication of a recently awarded Apple camera patent (via Bloomberg). Apple was granted US patent no. 8,934,045 yesterday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a remote control camera system powered by a wrist-worn device.

Originally filed by Kodak in 2012 and subsequently acquired by Apple in a much larger patent deal, the patent details a remote digital camera system that can be controlled by a smartwatch or phone. In its description, the patent seeks to address a wind resistance flaw present in select GoPro cameras that may lead to image artifacts.

According to Dougherty & Co. analyst Charlie Anderson, the GoPro stock plunge was led by investors concerned that Apple may encroach on the extreme action-adventure camera market currently dominated by GoPro. Investor reaction to this patent appears to have been overblown, however, as Apple patents a variety of technology innovations, most of which are not used in consumer products. And in this case, the technology wasn't even Apple's to begin with, making it even less clear whether the company has any intention of following up on it.

Article Link: GoPro Shares Tumble After Apple Granted Remote Control Camera Patent

 

[Mashurrab]

I don't think Apple will go after GoPro or compete in thier business

 

[Jack Delgado]

Apple going into the Action camera business is so extremely unlikely that I can hardly see straight. They would go into the plain-old camera business before they would do something niche like that... and we all know how likely they are to go into the standalone camera business.

Not likely.

Or whatever, maybe 2015 will be the year of the rugged 2-inch iPhone with 4K recording.

 

[SteveJobs2.0]

Ah, the beautiful stock market... Where fortunes are gained and lost based on stories financial analysts read over their morning coffee.

 

[maflynn]

I just don't see apple going after the gopro market. They seemed to have shied away from very targeted/vertical markets and opted for more general consumer products.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Apple going into the Action camera business is so extremely unlikely that I can hardly see straight. They would go into the plain-old camera business before they would do something niche like that... and we all know how likely they are to go into the standalone camera business.

Not likely.

Agreed. This might be a buying opportunity for GoPro shares.

 

[smizzle]

Wow, the stock market is so fickle sometimes. I don't think it takes much research to realize that the odds of Apple putting out a GoPro competitor any time soon are pretty slim. Apple takes forever to enter new product markets, and there's no way they would do this right after their watch comes out. This is more of a Samsung move.

 

[richwoodrocket]

Apple going into the Action camera business is so extremely unlikely that I can hardly see straight. They would go into the plain-old camera business before they would do something niche like that... and we all know how likely they are to go into the standalone camera business.



Not likely.



Or whatever, maybe 2015 will be the year of the rugged 2-inch iPhone with 4K recording.

Looks like a Nokia 3310...

 

[ArcaneDevice]

I can totally see Apple making a lipstick action cam. Especially when they have a wrist-worn display unit already on the way with the Watch and a large format display with the iPad and iPhone. All elements action cams already use. A cam would fit both the lifestyle gadget niche they are making and also the activity sector of the fitness niche.

However I can't see any such product having any effect on the GoPro market share for a very long time. Too many users, too many accessories and too many professionals use GoPro to switch instantly to what would undoubtedly be an Apple product with limited capability and compatibility. Apple doesn't really consider what pros want in their devices these days.

But if it's simple and pretty then consumers would eat it up.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

As I read the article (Didn't read the source), it just sounds like a patent for having the Apple Watch control the iPhones camera. Not a big deal for Go Pro.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

Well foxconn's shares won't tumble as they will be made in the same factory.

 

[ChrisA]

I don't think Apple will go after GoPro or compete in their business

No way on Earth will Apple ever make a water proof device of any kind. GoPro does not have to worry. Apple likes to be able to say "water damage" and void the warranty. OK I know they COULD produce a durable camera but then people would ask why their phones and MacBooks can't be made to survive something like spilled coffee.

 

[k1121j]

its simple watch controls phone


no new device here

 

[ArcaneDevice]

OK I know they COULD produce a durable camera but then people would ask why their phones and MacBooks can't be made to survive something like spilled coffee.

or Apple could just go on another spending spree and buy up another tech company like P2i to make water-repellant products.

They could then start charging extra to protect older products the same way.

 

[dampfnudel]

Maybe Tim wants to buy some GoPro stock.

 

[rhoydotp]

Maybe Tim wants to buy some GoPro stock.

either that or maybe has intentions to buy GoPro (the company)

 

[technosix]

GoPro founded in 2002 has been around long enough to build a large, loyal customer base.

Then consider their highly successful product with its global footprint and you have a very solid company. Far more nimble and customer centric than Apple, even if the Cupertino operation decided to play in that space they'd be an also ran. If they bought GoPro that would disappoint millions.

Apple's got plenty of challenges on their plate now just debugging the existing products. That alone will take lots of time. It would be an image booster if they sorted out what people have already paid for.

 

[originprankster]

Apple may sue GoPro and other camera makers

You guyz..... so naive. Apple may file patents for a product it may not go to market with but that won't stop them from suing others for patent infringement. Or if they don't sue them, they will approach companies and demand something favorable, maybe a partnership, or face Apple's huge army of lawyers in a patent lawsuit. Apple employs the largest number of lawyers last i read. They are at least as much about snuffing out innovation elsewhere as they are about innovation in house. More legal snuff lately than innovation. If Go Pro wants to go near a watch that controls a camera (or whatever the patent was granted for which might be pretty obvious) then they will tell Go Pro to pay up or proceed at their own risk. Investors know that this may take a big chunk out of Go Pros ability to innovate. They know how much Apple likes to sue or leave open the threat of a lawsuit. It's why the stock price went down.

 

[Zelmung]

#AppleCam2018

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

You guyz..... so naive. Apple may file patents for a product it may not go to market with but that won't stop them from suing others for patent infringement. Or if they don't sue them, they will approach companies and demand something favorable, maybe a partnership, or face Apple's huge army of lawyers in a patent lawsuit. Apple employs the largest number of lawyers last i read. They are at least as much about snuffing out innovation elsewhere as they are about innovation in house. More legal snuff lately than innovation. If Go Pro wants to go near a watch that controls a camera (or whatever the patent was granted for which might be pretty obvious) then they will tell Go Pro to pay up or proceed at their own risk. Investors know that this may take a big chunk out of Go Pros ability to innovate. They know how much Apple likes to sue or leave open the threat of a lawsuit. It's why the stock price went down.

What you're describing is a patent troll. As far as I know, Apple isn't a patent troll, but if you have evidence to show that they are, I'd love for you to share it.

 

[John.B]

Oops: http://appleinsider.com/articles/15...-supposedly-induces-gopro-stock-price-decline

 

[Gasu E.]

You guyz..... so naive. Apple may file patents for a product it may not go to market with but that won't stop them from suing others for patent infringement. Or if they don't sue them, they will approach companies and demand something favorable, maybe a partnership, or face Apple's huge army of lawyers in a patent lawsuit. Apple employs the largest number of lawyers last i read. They are at least as much about snuffing out innovation elsewhere as they are about innovation in house. More legal snuff lately than innovation. If Go Pro wants to go near a watch that controls a camera (or whatever the patent was granted for which might be pretty obvious) then they will tell Go Pro to pay up or proceed at their own risk. Investors know that this may take a big chunk out of Go Pros ability to innovate. They know how much Apple likes to sue or leave open the threat of a lawsuit. It's why the stock price went down.

Who has Apple ever sued for patent infringement except gigantic multinationals? I do think there is a troll here; but not of the patent variety.

 

[2457282]

My total guess here is that Apple will license the patent. I can see it using it like what it is doing with HomeKit and license a chip or the technology to work with the iWatch. In this sense it will not go after GoPro. But there will be some leaders in the market that may jump on an Apple license as a way to leapfrog GoPro.

This seems like a reasonable way for Apple to leverage their patent assets without directly going into the camera market (extreme or normal).

 

[markfc]

Never going to happen, GoPros have removable memory cards, batteries and are waterproof.

Would love a gopro apple watch app, though.

Would have loved it while skiing last week, save getting the phone out.

 

[leroypants]

So Apple basically just pattened the Gopro app, which allows me to control a camera from my phone...