GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS confirmed launching in September for $699 as Q2 results disappoint

GoPro published its latest results yesterday, and the bright spot amidst some dire numbers was news that the Mission 1 Pro ILS will launch next month.

GoPro announced its second quarter earnings yesterday, and for a company whose website still bears the tagline ‘The Official Camera of Fun’ they really were anything but. Revenue was down 31% to $105 million, units sold were down 38% at 291,000, which is especially disappointing as the period included the first month of Mission 1 Pro sales.

While there was a glimmer of good news with subscriber revenue up 11% at $29 million, overall losses are mounting. Depending on which accounting method you use, these were either $51 million (GAAP) or $36 million (non-GAAP). Neither is good.

The company is, of course, still looking for a suitor. CEO Nicholas Woodman reiterated that inquiries have come from the defense, consumer and financial sectors, and the process is now in its "later stages."

Mission 1 Pro ILS coming next month

But, amidst all this frank carnage, we got some information on the forthcoming Mission 1 Pro ILS, the Micro Four Thirds interchangeable lens camera that is still eagerly awaited by many despite all the problems the company is currently facing.

In an update to investors, Woodman confirmed that the camera will be available in September. B&H still lists availability as October 1, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it’s towards the beginning of September rather than the end. And one new piece of information is that it is going to be joined by a new Mission Monitor app for Apple devices.

The company says that this will deliver a live preview of your shot on your iPhone or iPad, and include professional monitoring tools such as composition overlays and remote camera control to frame, expose, and capture shots. The app will be available from the App Store in September.

Other recent introductions include the $1199 Mission 1 Pro Ultimate Creator Edition which adds GoPro's Fluid Pro AI gimbal for advanced stabilization and AI-driven subject tracking, plus rolls in the new suite of accessories just launched, including the Wireless Mic Complete Kit, the Light Mod 2 for compact portable lighting, and the Mission 1 Series Media Mod for I/O port expansion. A $1099 Creator Edition ditches the gimbal and swaps the Volta 2 Battery Grip for the Light Mod 2.

The company also recently released a firmware update for its MAX2 360 camera, which added 10-bit color with GP-Log, increased 200 Mbps bitrate recording, and enhanced low-light controls. But wholly new 360 cameras debuting from both Insta360 and DJI this week highlight the cutthroat nature of the competition in this space and illustrate just how the company is struggling to keep up.