GoPro reports that sales of the HERO9 Black has pushed its paid subscriber numbers beyond expectations

The HERO9 Black is a 2020 action camera that launched with a new 23.6MP sensor supporting up to 5K/30fps recording and is rated for up to 30% more battery life compared to its predecessor. GoPro released this new device for US$450 on its own website - or $349 if the buyer opted to add a 1-year subscription to the company's paid service to their basket. 

Unsurprisingly, this tactic has resulted in a considerable boost to the volume of paid GoPro subscribers. The company has just reported that their numbers have now passed the half-million mark, and are primed to surpass the OEM's earlier estimate of 600,000 by the end of this year. In fact, the firm's founder/CEO, Nicholas Woodman, has stated that they may even exceed 700,000 at that point.

GoPro has also revealed that first-party HERO9 Black sales drove its website's business over the 2 weeks following the device's launch by 230% compared to analogous takings from 2019. As for these subscriptions themselves, they confer access to the OEM's cloud, live-streaming and damage-replacement services, and can be had for $49 a year (or $4.99 per month) as a standalone product.