GoPro is reportedly getting ready to launch its next camera, but don’t hold your breath for a big redesign. Instead, according to images and specs first spotted by WinFuture, it appears the GoPro Hero11 Black will look virtually identical to the Hero10, and all the important tweaks will be on the inside.
The biggest upgrade sounds like a new sensor, which WinFuture says will be capable of 27-megapixel still images. (The current Hero10 Black, for comparison, shoots 23-megapixel photos.) Video resolution doesn’t sound like it’s changing, though: the new model will reportedly still cap out at 5.3K at 60 frames per second, or 4K at 120 fps. Details about the new sensor are otherwise pretty scarce at the moment, but even a slightly larger sensor with the same resolution could be a win for low-light shooting.
Beyond that, it looks like GoPro’s not messing with its hardware. Which makes sense, really: GoPro’s mount and accessory ecosystem is a big part of the company’s appeal, and the Hero9 was a pretty big change just two years ago, so GoPro is smart to stick with its basic shape. And with last year’s big change being the processor, a new sensor this year would fit the upgrade path. The leaked Hero11 images so far look identical to the Hero 10, except for a blue “11” on the side where there was once a “10.” (Because, you know, upgrades!) It still has a 2.27-inch screen on the back and a 1.4-inch screen on the front, big rubbery buttons, and that overall GoPro feel.
A small improvement would match what GoPro CEO Nick Woodman told investors in February. He said the company planned to launch new Hero and Max cameras this year, getting to a total of four cameras from the two lines. “And we expect to expand that further by the end of 2023,” Woodman said. Much of the company’s attention is focused on software, both inside the cameras and in the Quik app. GoPro is trying hard to diversify its offerings, and find ways to get its cameras into the hands of more than just your typical adventuring GoPro customer.
Based on what we know so far, though, the Hero11 Black will remain a GoPro through and through. WinFuture reports the device could come as soon as the middle of this month. No word yet on price, either, which is one of the things GoPro will most need to change if it wants its tiny camera to appeal to the masses.