GoPro Hero 8 release date: What sort of changes should users expect from the next iteration?

It’s the second half of 2019, and there’s still no news about GoPro Hero 8. Apart from its release date that’s highly likely to land this September, nothing has been hinted or leaked about its features.

This is surprising given the enthusiasm that GoPro CEO Nick Woodman expressed about the GoPro Hero 8 and their plans for the next iteration moving forward. So what is known so far?

Well, the GoPro Hero 8 will be coming out in three different variations, with their specs reflecting their respective costs. The White will be the most affordable; Black will be the flagship, and White will sport specs and price that will be somewhere in between, Trusted Reviews reported.

GoPro Hero 8 might be treated similarly to the Hero 7

Woodman previously said that they’re going to be refreshing all three variants of the GoPro Hero 8, although he didn’t specifically say if this is a complete overhaul or merely a slight alteration. With the Hero 7 copying most of the specs of the Hero 6, there is apprehension out there that the next entry might be treated the same.

However, given that the DJI Osmo Action has emerged as a legitimate contender for the GoPro Hero 8, there’s a chance that the device might see huge overhauls across all iterations. Whatever the San Mateo-based company is planning, there’s little doubt that the Black variant will sport the most upgrade. There’s certainly is precedent, after all.

One of the things that would make the GoPro Hero 8 stand out from its predecessors is allowing the HyperSmooth feature to operate at Full HD when recording on 120fps and 240 fps. While video stabilization still functions for the 120 fps mode, HyperSmooth is a different beast and allowing it to run on 120 fps, and 240 fps would be a welcome upgrade indeed.

GoPro Hero 8 might not cost too much due to DJI Osmo Action being a legitimate contender

Responsiveness should also be emphasized for the GoPro Hero 8, especially with the Hero 7 sometimes not recognizing the commands it’s being given. This doubly true for voice commands, TechRadar reported.

What’s more, the 12MP sensors and wide-angle lens could also use an upgrade as well since both features have been present since Hero 6. As for the price of the GoPro Hero 8, it’s not expected to stray too far away from the price of the Hero 7 what with the DJI Osmo Action closing the gap between the competition. Thus, a $500 price tag is still on the table unless the GoPro Hero 8 pulls something out the bag that would justify a steep increase to its cost.