GoPro just announced its biggest camera launch in years, but it's now just dropped a major hint about what’s coming in 2027 – “Tools… not toys”

The launch of the GoPro Mission 1 series is arguably the action camera giant’s biggest launch in several years, marking a shift towards high-end video. But in a letter to investors, CEO Nicholas Woodman is already hinting at what’s next for the company, including “utility-focused products” planned for 2027 and beyond.

The Mission series marks a major shift from the action cameras that have almost exclusively carried the Hero name since the first-ever GoPro camera in 2004. The Mission series uses larger one-inch sensors with 8K 60p recording, and while the Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro take on a familiar GoPro form factor, the Mission 1 Pro ILS puts the action camera maker into the mirrorless arena for the first time.

This shift comes at a perilous time for the American camera brand – the company’s stock is at risk of becoming delisted, but has shown signs of recovery with stock over $1 since the announcement of the Mission series. The company has announced a 23 percent reduction in staff following a 25 percent drop in the number of action cameras sold last year.

But now, in a letter to shareholders as part of the company’s annual report, Woodman highlights where he sees the company headed next. The longtime CEO and founder’s boldest statement? GoPro isn’t an everyday camera.

“If your imaging needs are everyday…then we’re not the brand for you,” Woodman wrote. “But if you’re pushing the boundaries of capture and require mission-critical imaging tools that enable content like the world has never seen…then GoPro is your camera company.”

In a way, Woodman’s statement makes some sense – the number of smartphones that are increasingly becoming waterproof is likely one of the causes behind the company’s dwindling sales numbers, along with increasing competition from brands like DJI and Insta360.

But while a growing number of smartphones are capable of everyday waterproof captures, there’s also a growing number of content creators, a category that fits somewhere between consumers and professionals, that would be a smart target for the action camera company.

The launch of the Mission series raises questions about whether or not fans will see the long-awaited GoPro Hero14 Black. When I asked GoPro about the Hero13 Black, the company assured me that the camera would remain available but – as every company does – declined to comment on future products.

Woodman also dropped a hint about 2027 products, listing the new GP3 processor cameras (the Mission series), a motorcycle helmet being built with AGV, and ”the new specialized, utility-focused products we have planned for 2027 and beyond.”

“Utility-focused” could mean a lot of different things, but the phrase could tie into a major theme in Woodman’s letter: that GoPros are “tools, not toys.”

“As we look to grow, we consider what opportunities we have to develop imaging tools that become indispensable – tools, not toys– for markets and end users that need them most,” Woodman wrote. “How can we increase GoPro’s utility and relevance to new and existing customers in a manner that in parallel drives brand, financial, and shareholder value creation. Again, more tool…less toy.”

The letter comes along with the information for shareholders ahead of a vote, including proposing adding additional shares to create reserve funds to “ attract, motivate, and retain qualified employees.”

The Mission series is likely a critical moment for the longstanding action camera company. The company needs to strike a balance between retaining existing GoPro fans and attracting new customers. The first two Mission cameras start shipping on May 28, with the Mission Pro ILS slated for sometime in the third quarter of 2026.

You may also like

Browse the best action cameras or the best vlogging cameras.