Latest Features of the GoPro Hero4 Will Continue to Enhance Action Sports Videos

This summer, evil better be afraid! We’ve got The X-Men, Spiderman, and the Ninja Turtles all ready to defend the innocent and combat the criminals. Hold on to your nun chucks, because another hero may be making peaking over the horizon. Rumor has it that the GoPro family may be adding the Hero4 to its ranks. If that’s the case, we have some adventure-chasing (and boredom-battling) features to look forward to.

Though the current existence of the mysterious Hero4 is only alleged (there has been no official confirmation), the “leaked” Hero4 specs have already generated some well-deserved attention. As you can see from the table below, the newest generation took something great (the Hero3+) and made it even better.

In addition to upping the frames per second (fps) in every category, it’s also rumored that the Hero4 may use the new A9 dual-core 1GHz system-on-chip (SOC) component. This SOC would come courtesy of Ambarella, and would handle any video resolution issues while also allowing for 4k recording with faster frame rates.

The reported 13MP sensor will have a new lens specifically for capturing footage in the dark, and will also have a remote viewfinder playback. How awesome would it be to see footage-playback without having to physically see the display of the camera?!

With an increase in fps, athletes (for example) that use a GoPro to record their training sessions will be able to slow the video down. The additional frames may capture minute details that could potentially be the difference between gold and silver. Even if you’re using the Hero purely recreationally, the ability to obtain more detailed footage allows for better quality.

The increase in megapixels will help alleviate potential resolution issues that could be a result of these improvements.  And with the remote playback coaches could literally review footage the minute they get it and make athlete adjustments accordingly. The practical and recreational applications of this new Hero would be extensive!

Talk has also circulated that part of the new Hero4 package would allow users to upload pictures and videos to social media. This could be a huge win for GoPro. Not only would it (theoretically) increase the brand’s presence on social media, but it (again, ideally) would provide a boost in their sales, as more customers would be drawn in by the posts from other users.

The first of two lingering questions I had (both of which unfortunately remain unanswered) relate to battery life. With all of the technological upgrades, will the Hero4’s battery life suffer an inevitable drop? Will GoPro take some proactive measures to combat the amount of energy needed to run the new, improved device? There’s no way of knowing (yet) but users can certainly hope that with great device improvement comes great battery life.

My second question concerns cost. How much will this upgraded-to-the-fourth-power device be on the market for? While no solid dollar amount has yet to be released, most speculators propose that the newest Hero will be on par (price-wise) with its predecessors.

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Julia Randall is obsessed with taking pictures on her GoPro, and can’t wait to watch her latest paddleboarding footage while keeping an eye on her fantasy drafts!