Perhaps in a sign that not a lot is going on in the world of consumer drones at the moment, supposed leaks are beginning to become big news. The leak in question this week is alleged – and we should really stress the ‘alleged’ part – to be a preview of what the long-awaited GoPro Karma will look like.
The image below began circulating last Tuesday and has been picked up by credible tech sites CNET and Mashable. We think that provides enough justification for us to pile in on the speculation.
The source? A teenage self-proclaimed GoPro fanatic, who claims to have come across the image on GoPro’s page on social network Reddit, where it, along with its mysterious poster, were both quickly deleted. But not before Konrad Iturbe had got his hands on it.
GoPro, Karma, 2016: pic.twitter.com/hcEzLxeBCE
— Konrad Iturbe (@konrad_it) July 26, 2016
Even more mysteriously, Iturbe told Mashable that the image he had originated from GoPro’s server, at least according to a conversation he was able to have with the original poster on Reddit. Speaking to Mashable, Iturbe also provided several examples of instances when unannounced information regarding GoPro software and hardware products were taken from simply digging through code on the company’s website. So could this leak just be a case of some smart kid discovering something before it has even been technically published?
The real answer is who knows. Annoying hoax or genius detective work? You decide.
Either way, drone enthusiasts shouldn’t have to wait too long before all is legitimately revealed. Earlier this week GoPro CEO Nick Woodman confirmed the Karma drone will be available in time for the holiday season. He also highlighted how hugely important the Karma is to the future of GoPro’s profitability. For that reason alone the industry is expecting big things. GoPro has released a number of teasing trailers for its new drone, and it’s expected to cost around $2,000. That price was gleaned from some more clever detective work, this time from the company’s official sweepstakes disclosure. Sneaky.
Malek Murison is a freelance writer and editor with a passion for tech trends and innovation. He handles product reviews, major releases and keeps an eye on the enthusiast market for DroneLife.
Email Malek
Twitter:@malekmurison
Subscribe to DroneLife here.