The action camcorder market experienced exponential growth in 2013. While total camcorder unit sales declined 19% compared to the year prior, the rugged/waterproof segment grew a healthy 38%.
Rugged/waterproof camcorders now account for half of the revenue in the category, up from just 14% in 2011. Leading the growth has been category incumbent GoPro, whose popular POV action cams accounted for 90% of rugged/waterproof sales in 2013.—Ben Arnold, Executive Director, Industry Analyst, The NPD Group, Inc.