Snap Might Buy Zero Zero, Company Behind Hover Camera Drone Sold Exclusively at Apple Stores

[MacRumors]

Snapchat parent company Snap is in talks to purchase Zero Zero Robotics, the company that created the $500 Hover Camera Passport Drone that's currently sold exclusively at Apple retail stores and Apple.com, reports The Information.

The Hover Camera Passport is an ultra lightweight drone that's designed to work as a personal camera, following closely behind a person and capturing hands-free photos and videos using face and body tracking. Given its small size (242 grams) and its foldable carbon fiber body, the Hover Camera Passport can go essentially anywhere.

If Snap establishes a deal with Zero Zero Robotics, the Hover Camera Passport and future related products would join Snap's existing Spectacles, which are camera-equipped sunglasses meant to capture short videos and upload them to Snapchat.

Right now, the Hover Camera Passport is exclusive to Apple Stores, and Apple has inked a deal with Zero Zero that has made demo products available in many Apple retail stores around the world. Should Snap purchase Zero Zero, the latter company's deal with Apple would presumably end.

Zero Zero is said to have approached Snap in an effort to secure additional funding, but a potential purchase price isn't available. Snap has reportedly been looking into acquiring drone companies since mid-2016, and has already purchased one small drone maker in Los Angeles.

Article Link: Snap Might Buy Zero Zero, Company Behind Hover Camera Drone Sold Exclusively at Apple Stores

 

[budselectjr]

Peter Gregory would have been so disappointed in Snapchat.

 

[sdz]

Such "beautiful" models... The average Joe buying this "useful product" surely looks like them.

 

[Asarien]

People love to look at themselves.

 

[Smith288]

The Spark is a way better value than that fragile hunk of junk.

 

[Frisco]

Garbage. I had a RC Controlled model airplane back in the 80s.

 

[MacFan23]

The Spark is a way better value than that fragile hunk of junk.

It always looked like a pretty decent option to me before the Spark came out.

 

[justperry]

$500 is a lot, but then again it's carbon fiber.

 

[ck2875]

Not that I'm going to be cliff jumping anytime soon... (or ever).... but I feel like the drone would just follow me into the ocean if I tried to reproduce that shot.

 

[justperry]

242 grams, wind faster then a few meter per second blows this thing out of the sky.

And, which jerk flies this in a church, just silly.

 

[IJ Reilly]

It always looked like a pretty decent option to me before the Spark came out.

A side-by-side comparison between the Passport and the Spark would be welcome.

 

[myrtlebee]

People love to look at themselves.

Never saw the point. I may have taken 6 selfies in my life, and that was at the request of others. Don't get it. Much cooler to have a camera drone you can control with an app on your phone and fly it to video other things besides yourself. To each his own... I guess.

 

[mi7chy]

Apple is carrying it because it's high margin but it's garbage compare to DJI Spark for the same money.

 

[MacFan23]

A side-by-side comparison between the Passport and the Spark would be welcome.

Shoutout to iPhonedo:

 

[Swampthing]

Just TRY doing some of those things with a drone overseas. In many cases, you will find yourself dealing with very angry authorities. Especially if you try to fly it around museums...

 

[melchior]

video quality is rubbish, but seemed like it would make a cheap stocking stuffer. looked at the price and it is four times what i was expecting. incredible.

 

[jdoll021]

Narcissism aside, there are some practical applications I can think of. I bicycle a lot and I can see something like this as acting as a better alternative to the helmet cam that can give a more useful birds-eye view if something happens.

Also might be useful for first responders as a second pair of eyes in dangerous conditions (i.e. bomb squads).

 

[IJ Reilly]

Shoutout to iPhonedo:

Thanks.

Looks like Spark is still the winner overall.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

Narcissism aside, there are some practical applications I can think of. I bicycle a lot and I can see something like this as acting as a better alternative to the helmet cam that can give a more useful birds-eye view if something happens.

Also might be useful for first responders as a second pair of eyes in dangerous conditions (i.e. bomb squads).

Most of these aren't going to keep up with you on your bike and battery life limits things to a couple minutes at best.

 

[jdoll021]

Most of these aren't going to keep up with you on your bike and battery life limits things to a couple minutes at best.

Yeah, I saw the comparison video that MacFan posted above. When I saw that, I was like "well, so much for that idea!" Still, getting pictures in hard to reach places may still be an option.

 

[rezwits]

I hope Snap buys them out, and throws money on the fire much like Facebook does, and did with Oculus.

Great video up above!

Spark all the way...

 

[Pilgrim1099]

video quality is rubbish, but seemed like it would make a cheap stocking stuffer. looked at the price and it is four times what i was expecting. incredible.

You want the best video quality from a drone? Pay up. If you have no issues blowing off $1,000 for the upcoming iPhone 8, then you shouldn't complain about the camera drone price either. I've seen a DJI Spark in action in person and the camera quality is stunning. Even for this small drone in the video, it's still impressive.

Personal drones, my friend, are going to be the big thing that follows us around, recording or even become our 'floating' communications hub like a phone, especially if it's done via live on FaceTime or Skype. Kind of like having our own hovering tamagotchi pet with better battery life or new generation of personal assistants.

Think about it.

 

[jerryk]

242 grams, wind faster then a few meter per second blows this thing out of the sky.

Not convinced of that. Some guy on youtube that hits a spark with a leaf blower at 3 feet and it hardly moves. This guy might move a little, but it will also compensate for the wind very quickly

 

[Tech198]

Did he just fold it up and walk off with it

 

[Msail30bay]

That's LOVELY.......... But, who is that brown skin hunk, wow? In the vid/ad....... .