GoPro has had a good run. Since launching in 2002, their tiny, user-friendly POV cameras have dominated the extreme sports industry. If you ski or snowboard, you feel in the minority if you don’t have a Hero4 strapped to your head. But it looks like GoPro doesn’t want to be pigeonholed to just extreme sports. They’ve recently made some significant strides to try and reach new consumers. Here’s a look at some of the new initiatives GoPro has made in an effort to expand beyond extreme sports.

GoPro + VR

Last month, GoPro announced the launch of their Omni camera kit. This crazy $5,000 cube houses 6 Hero-4 cameras, which allows you to shoot VR footage. All 6 cameras can be controlled simultaneously using 1 remote control. The footage can then be edited together using a 360-degree editing program called Kolor, which GoPro acquired about a year ago. They also launched a new site dedicated exclusively to VR footage. GoPro is currently taking pre-sale orders on the Omni – no word on when it’ll ship.

Third Party Developers

GoPro has opened up their cameras to third party developers who can build compatible apps and accessories. Some of the most notable partnerships thus far include:
Fisher Price: The toy manufacturer is building a line of walkers, jumpers and play mats that will feature a GoPro housing. That way you never have to worry about missing your child’s first step, jump or projectile vomit (I have a 12-month old – I can make that joke).

Timecode System: Timecode System has developed the SyncBac – a piece of hardware that clips onto the back of a GoPro. Using the SyncBac, you can add timecode to any GoPro footage and also control each camera through their own wireless network. Having integrated GoPros into a live production in the past, I can tell you that this sounds like an incredibly helpful device.

Periscope: Twitter-owned Periscope was one of the first third-party developers to work with GoPro. They’ve developed technology that allows you to integrate GoPro’s into their video streaming service.

GoPro Apps

Back in February of this year, GoPro acquired 2 video editing apps – Replay (now re-named Quik) and Splice. Both apps allow you to quickly and easily edit and share footage from your GoPro or smartphone. Quik is designed to be used on-the-go directly from your smartphone while Splice is designed for a tablet or desktop. Quik has a built-in music library and will automatically suggest music tracks based on the pacing of your video. And once your video is done, you can easily upload your finished product directly to Facebook, Instagram or other social platforms.

Seemingly these are all great strides forward for GoPro. It’ll be interesting to see if this helps them reach new industry segments.