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The end of the Hero Black? GoPro says its flagship action cam isn’t dead despite skipping it for 2025

AnyFans 2025-09-24

By Timothy Coleman

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“For 2025, GoPro will continue with Hero 13 Black as our lead flagship camera. The speed of our tech innovation has been incredible over the last few years, and we believe Hero 13 Black remains one of the most advanced and capable cameras on the market.

“We are focused on prioritizing the camera that our GoPro community is most eager to add to their content toolkit, and this year it’s Max 2. And if 360 isn’t what you’re after, Lit Hero also satisfies the need for a more traditional action camera in this year’s lineup.”
GoPro assured us that the Hero Black story isn’t over. However, there could be testing times ahead for the action camera king, with speculation that DJI will launch the Osmo Action 6 soon, featuring a GoPro-beating 1-inch sensor, 8K video, and advanced smartwatch integration.

I’m a big fan of the swappable lens design of the Hero 13 Black – there are a few auto detected lenses to choose from, including macro and anamorphic. However, the series’ internals have remained largely the same for several iterations. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
Is the legendary line of action cams slowing down?
GoPro set the action cam standards for years, delivering industry firsts in its flagship series of Hero Black cameras. Since 2016’s Hero 5 Black, there has been a fresh model each year around September, culminating in the Hero 13 Black last year.

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There have been recent signs that the series is slowing down, with the last few models bringing iterative updates and using the same stabilized 4:3 sensor for smooth 5.3K video. At the same time, fresh players have entered the scene: DJI and Insta360.
Currently, there’s a tasty three-way battle for the best action camera, between GoPro’s Hero 13 Black, the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, and the Insta360 Ace Pro 2.
Each brand has its own take on the format, and I’m actually a big fan of the latest GoPro, not least of which for its swappable lenses – one of GoPro’s best new features in years. The Hero 13 Black is otherwise similar to the Hero 12 Black, which was also a super modest successor of the excellent Hero 11 Black.
To be clear, I don’t mind GoPro extending the cadence of its flagship action cam series launches. I feel the same about leading smartphones by Apple, Samsung, and Google – do we really need a new model every year?
I’d rather GoPro take its time to work on meaningful upgrades for a future model, presumably a Hero 14 Black. It just feels strange that there’s no new model this year – a new Hero Black is something we’ve got used to seeing each fall.
What do you think about GoPro’s 2025 product launches and the absence of a new Hero Black flagship? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
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Timothy Coleman

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Cameras editor

Tim is the Cameras editor at TechRadar. He has enjoyed more than 15 years in the photo video industry with most of those in the world of tech journalism. During his time as Deputy Technical Editor with Amateur Photographer, as a freelancer and consequently editor at Tech Radar, Tim has developed a deeply technical knowledge and practical experience with cameras, educating others through news, reviews and features. He’s also worked in video production for Studio 44 with clients including Canon, and volunteers his spare time to consult a non-profit, diverse stories team based in Nairobi. Tim is curious, a keen creative, avid footballer and runner, and moderate flat white drinker who has lived in Kenya and believes we have much to enjoy and learn from each other.

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