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.

apple-gopro-patent
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.

Tags: GoPro, Patent

Top Rated Comments

originprankster Avatar
135 months ago
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.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jack Delgado Avatar
135 months ago
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.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mashurrab Avatar
135 months ago
I don't think Apple will go after GoPro or compete in thier business
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rhoydotp Avatar
135 months ago
Never going to happen, GoPros ... are waterproof.

actually, they are not. GoPros do come with a waterproof case, though.

someone also mentioned that Apple will not honor water damage. well, GoPro does this, too. unless you can prove that the case broke with regular use or you have dipped the GoPro in water using the skeleton case, they will also not honor the warranty ... true story from a lot of people in GoPro-centric forums :cool:
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rhoydotp Avatar
135 months ago
Maybe Tim wants to buy some GoPro stock.
either that or maybe has intentions to buy GoPro (the company) :apple: :p
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
k1121j Avatar
135 months ago
its simple watch controls phone


no new device here
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
iPhone 12 Made in India

Trump Tells Tim Cook to Stop Building iPhones in India

Thursday May 15, 2025 2:21 am PDT by
President Donald Trump has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to halt the company's manufacturing expansion in India, in a potential disruption of Apple's plan to shift iPhone production away from China. "I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said during his state visit to Qatar, according to Bloomberg. "He is building all over India." "They [India] have offered us a deal where...
apple music

Apple Music Gets New Transfer Tool to Make Switching From Spotify Easier

Wednesday May 14, 2025 5:17 pm PDT by
Apple this week introduced a new feature designed to allow prospective Apple Music users to import their saved music and playlists from third-party music services to Apple Music. The feature is either in an expanded testing phase or it has started rolling out, and it is available in Australia and New Zealand according to an Apple Support document. Signs of the transfer option first surfaced...
maxresdefault

Here's the First Real-World Look at Apple's CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:52 am PDT by
The first videos of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience are now available, providing a never-before-seen look at the long-anticipated iPhone-linked infotainment software. British automaker Aston Martin today shared the first video of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience in-action, followed by a detailed walk-through of the CarPlay Ultra system on Top Gear's YouTube channel, which provides the...
vision pro video recording

WSJ: Some Apple Vision Pro Buyers 'Feel Total Regret'

Friday May 16, 2025 7:43 am PDT by
Apple's Vision Pro headset has left many early adopters expressing dissatisfaction over its weight, limited use cases, and sparse software ecosystem, according to a new article from The Wall Street Journal. In the year following the device's launch, user feedback suggests that it has failed to meet expectations for comfort, software support, and social acceptance. In interviews conducted by T...