It’s been a peculiar start to 2018 for GoPro following its official shutdown of the Karma drone and rumors swirling of an impending sale. Despite these rumblings, GoPro is re-focusing itself on what got them here… action cameras. It’s been a rather quiet five months since HERO6 was announced last fall, but now GoPro has detailed changes to its in-house Plus subscription program.
Previously focused on cloud storage, GoPro Plus has been expanded to now include up to two camera replacements per 12-months. The $4.99 price remains the same, guaranteeing subscribers peace of mind for $60 per year if something were to go awry.
When first announced over a year ago, GoPro Plus was positioned as a subscription service for content creators that allowed for easy cloud storage of up to 35-hours worth of video. GoPro also offered 20% off accessories and ‘premium’ support should a technical issue arise.
Fast forward to today, and GoPro Plus is now one of the best values amongst warranty programs. At $60 per year, subscribers can have up to two cameras replaced. With most of its offerings going for between $300-$500 a pop, this new feature not only offers peace of mind, but good value should your camera get destroyed.
There’s also a few notable changes to its cloud backup services. Originally, this was only available direct from your camera, but now GoPro is rolling out support for mobile devices a well.
Starting on February 20th, iPhone users can save content from the iOS app to GoPro Plus. Android users will unfortunately have to wait until the spring. Along with 35 hours worth of video storage, unlimited photo backups are now also available.
The decision to offer upgraded device replacement and additional features is just the latest move from GoPro as it tries to stem the tide of last year’s missteps. GoPro finally became profitable again at the end of 2017 thanks to job cuts and its exit from the drone market. Expanding GoPro Plus offers consumers even more value and will hopefully create more revenue for the manufacturer.
GoPro Plus is available now with its new device protection perks for $4.99 per month, with a free 30-day trial (which includes device protection right away).
[9to5-press-release]
GOPRO ROLLS OUT ENHANCED SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE: PLUS
New Benefits. No Additional Cost.
Damage Replacement, Mobile Cloud Backup and Unlimited Photo Storage Added
to $4.99 Monthly Service
GoPro is building on the success of its Plus subscription service with the introduction of new benefits that deliver significant value to GoPro customers at no additional cost.
The new Plus service includes the integration of its camera replacement program (GoPro Care), and the addition of mobile auto-cloud backup, which enables subscribers to automatically upload photos and videos from the GoPro app directly to the cloud. This new mobile upload capability makes it easier than ever for Plus users to securely store their content in the cloud and access it anytime, anywhere from their mobile device.
Check out the details of the expanded Plus monthly service:
- Camera replacement – If you break your GoPro we’ll replace it, no questions asked
- Mobile cloud backup – The GoPro App now automatically backs up your photos and videos, eliminating the need to connect to a computer or buy new SD cards
- Unlimited photo storage
- 35 hours of video storage
- 20% off accessories at gopro.com
- Front-of-the-line priority phone and chat support
Mobile cloud backup will be available on iOS February 20 and on Android in the spring.
“Plus streamlines the GoPro experience and delivers outsized value for our customers,” said GoPro Founder and CEO Nicholas Woodman. “Our subscription business, Plus, has proven popular with consumers and the roll out of our enhanced service marks the first of several subscription initiatives we will introduce this year.”
The new GoPro Plus is now available in the US for $4.99 a month with a 30-day free trial and will expand to global markets later this year. Visit the GoPro Plus page to sign up.
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