Insta360 has established itself at the forefront of the 360-degree camera market, and with this huge AI-powered software update it is making clear it intends to stay there.
The problem for 360-degree cameras is that most people still view the footage on 'flat' screens, which means it needs to be processed with a bit of thought. You need to decide where to point the camera after the fact.
OK, that's not news, and Insta360 has long provided impressive software to achieve just that, which is partly why its cameras appear prominently in our guide to the best 360-degree cameras.
There is always room for improvement, though, and that comes in the form of AI Automatic Scene Recognition and 40 Movement Templates.
The scene recognition is an extension of the automated editing features that already exist, and the system is now able to identify multiple subjects and how they behave together. This can be used to build quick edits, or as Insta360 puts it:
"Immersive stories in seconds. AI now identifies the objects or subjects in the footage and the interaction between them. Combined with scene recognition (the type of video it is, such as winter sports or travel), it automatically filters the best shots for you to choose and export.
That means instead of just identifying a child and parent, the app can identify the interaction between them to create a story."
The addition of movement templates means creators are able to bring a host of new visually striking effects to their videos. There were some options before, especially for creating slick 'small world' animated effects from photos, but these can now be built into videos and some even work as transitions from one AI-identified subject to another, or 'people swap'.
Insta360's software update is free for all existing users, and might pose an interesting challenge for GoPro, widely rumored to be working on a new 360-degree camera to replace the ageing GoPro Max. GoPro has been keen to push customers toward subscriptions, which (given the benefits of software in 360-degree video) might pose a worry for creators unwilling to sign up to ongoing costs.
The new features will work for all Insta360's 360-degree cameras, including the most recent 8K X4 but also the X3, X2, and RS with 360˚ lens. The app updates will be offered automatically.
Check our guide to the best 360-degree cameras and the best action cameras. You'll also see 360-degree cameras amongst our best GoPro alternatives.
