On August 12, marking ten years in the 360 camera business, Insta360 launched the X6, its latest flagship 360 camera. The device starts at RMB 3,999 (USD 591.8) in mainland China.

The X6 builds on a decade of development in 360 imaging. While previous generations focused largely on image quality, portability, and the shooting experience, the X6 points to a broader shift: Insta360 is handing more of the framing, subject tracking, and editing process to the camera and artificial intelligence.

The X6 supports up to 8K 360 video at 50 frames per second. It uses two custom 1/1.1-inch square image sensors co-developed by Insta360 and Sony. According to Insta360, the sensors offer 33% more area than those in the X5 and about four times as much light intake per frame, primarily improving performance in challenging conditions such as low-light and backlit scenes.

More significant, however, is the change in how users can shoot.

One of the defining features of 360 cameras is that users do not need to decide where to point the lens while recording. Instead, they can reframe footage afterward. The tradeoff is that this requires more post-production work.

The X6’s new InstaFrame 2.0 mode can output 4K flat video directly. Its automatic subject tracking supports pets and objects in addition to people. When paired with the “POV Head Tracker” accessory, the camera can also adjust its framing based on where the user is looking.

Beyond hardware upgrades, the X6 also gives AI a larger role in post-production. The aim is to reduce the amount of work users need to do after recording, moving 360 imaging beyond simple capture toward more automated content creation and spatial reconstruction.

The X6 features Insta360’s in-house PanoMind 360 AI model. “AI Director,” the auto-editing engine within PanoMind, can analyze footage on the camera and automatically assemble highlight videos. Another feature, “Moments Pro,” lets users specify a subject, mood, style, and timeframe, after which a cloud-based tool generates a video.

The X6 also adds 3D spatial reconstruction, allowing users to turn captured footage into navigable 3D scenes. This lets users revisit recorded moments from different angles rather than viewing them only as conventional video.

Beyond the product itself, Insta360’s business has continued to expand. Its annual report showed that revenue rose 74.76% year-on-year in 2025, followed by an 83.11% year-on-year increase in the first quarter of 2026.

Over the past two years, Insta360 has also expanded beyond its core 360 camera portfolio. In addition to its X series, Go series, and action cameras, it has invested in projects including 360 drones, gimbal cameras, wireless microphones, and custom chips.

In 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, the company invested RMB 762 million (USD 112.8 million) and RMB 262 million (USD 38.8 million), respectively, in these projects.

Its drone and gimbal efforts are about more than adding new product categories. Insta360 is using different camera products to build expertise in optics, sensors, and imaging algorithms. Drones and gimbals also give its devices greater ability to move through physical space, while automatic editing and AI-based scene understanding add another software layer.

In that context, the X6 remains one of Insta360’s key products for testing new technologies.

Across recent generations, the company has steadily increased camera resolution. With the X6, it has added automatic subject tracking, AI editing, and spatial reconstruction. Competition in 360 cameras is therefore shifting beyond image quality toward another question: how much of the shooting and post-production process can the camera handle for the user?

For Insta360, which already holds a substantial share of the market, improving image quality remains important. But lowering the barrier to content creation, while extending its capabilities in 360 imaging, AI, and spatial perception across more hardware formats, is also becoming a greater priority.

KrASIA features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This article was written by Leslie Zhang for 36Kr.

Note: RMB figures are converted to USD at rates of RMB 6.76 = USD 1 based on estimates as of August 14, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.