Insta360 wants to sell you the camera that can replace them all

One of the perks of this job is that we get to see upcoming tech before the public does. For example, I went to New York City for a first look at the Insta360 X6 before its launch, but the event was about more than just the new product. Insta360 also seized the opportunity to tell us about its history and offer a glimpse of what the future could hold.

As awesome as the Insta360 X6 is, I walked away more excited about the ecosystem the brand is creating.

Insta360 launched its first 360-degree camera 10 years ago. As a tech journalism veteran, I actually remember it. It was the Insta360 Nano, and I got to see it at CES. It was a 360-degree camera that attached to an iPhone.

Back then, Insta360 was a new brand with big aspirations, and, as with any new, experimental company, I had doubts about its future. Not because I didn’t believe in the product (it was really cool, after all), but because I didn’t see how mass adoption could be accomplished.

Producing 360-degree content had all kinds of barriers people had to jump through. For starters,  you needed specialized cameras. This could be solved, but you would also have to consider the rest of the process. You needed specialized software to process the clips, not to mention the editing skills to finalize the content. Being involved in content creation, I realized that making videos takes a lot of time and, back then, required a powerful computer. And this was for regular 2D videos; imagine how it would seem to make completely immersive 360-degree content.

It all seemed a bit far-fetched. Maybe I lacked vision in this department, but Insta360 didn’t. Needless to say, the company didn’t fail, and is now the staple market leader in consumer-focused 360-degree cameras. The market is thriving, and it’s getting better.

Insta360 had to pave the way for a brighter future for itself. As it stands, 360-degree content remains a bit of a niche activity. It’s mostly reserved for thrill-seekers and extreme sports enthusiasts who want to share exciting adventures. There’s also a market for this content style in industries such as real estate and tourism. Casual user adoption is definitely growing, but it’s not widespread quite yet. After spending some time with the Insta360 team, I am pretty sure this will change very soon, though.

Insta360’s goal to make 360-degree video accessible to the masses is looking very promising now. Insta360, along with the rest of the tech industry, has already solved the main hurdles. Cameras have improved, offering stunning video quality with high definition recording (8K in this case). These are also much more resistant, and there are lens covers for those fragile, exposed fisheye lenses that stick out of the camera.

Of course, devices are much more capable now, so editing these clips is no longer an issue for most mid- to high-end smartphones. Things like AI and cloud processing are helping, too. Insta360 has its own mobile editing app and the Insta360+ Cloud Service. It’s now much easier and more user-friendly to produce 360-degree content, even if you use an underpowered smartphone and have limited editing experience.

Enter AI editing

But hey, up until recently, all of this still required some skill and time, even if much less than years prior. Insta360 has introduced a “zero-edit” approach that can take 360-degree video to the masses. I feel like this is what will make this tech go truly mainstream!

Of course, you can still edit everything manually, but the brand is introducing the “APEV Model”, a multimodal AI model that makes 360-degree video much simpler and smarter. It analyzes raw footage and powers impressive editing features.

For example, the X6 can use AI Director. The software will inspect the footage and filter the main highlights. Once you plug the camera in to charge, it will create a custom daily vlog and push the finished video straight to your phone. No need to do anything after your adventures. Just plug the thing in and go about your day, or go to sleep at night.

If you prefer a more hands-on approach, Auto Edit 2.0 can also automatically create videos from clips you manually select. It will throw in highlights, add music, and handle it all for you.

Additionally, Insta360 cloud services have now been supercharged with Gemini support through Moments Pro. Gemini works with Insta360’s imaging algorithm to make videos using commands! Seriously, you can tell it how to edit your video, what to add, what to remove, etc.

Progress isn’t stopping at 360-degree content. It seems Insta360 has much bigger plans. The team wants 360-degree cameras to replace most other dedicated cameras, and the prospect looks very promising, to be honest.

The Insta360 X6 is quite versatile. While it shoots in 360, the video output doesn’t have to cover all angles. You can crop out a frame and output the content as a standard 2D video. Considering the max 8K resolution, more rugged construction, and overall size, the X6 could be used as an action camera.

You can also use it as a webcam for video conferences. Additionally, it could even replace a gimbal. Because the camera records in all directions, it has the data needed to smooth out video in post-processing.

One 360-degree camera to rule them all. That is the plan, apparently. I am left wondering if this will actually happen. I’d say it is very likely, considering these 360-degree cameras are getting much better and their recording capabilities open the door to more freedom in shooting, as long as the software can keep up.

Time will tell, but I am definitely much more optimistic about the future of 360-degree cameras after attending this Insta360 event.

What do you think? Do you see a future in which 360-degree cameras rule the portable camera market? Are you ready to drop all your other cameras and cover all your needs with a 360-degree shooter?