DJI & Insta360 rival: Smartphone maker developing Snapdragon-powered gimbal camera

According to unconfirmed rumours, a leading smartphone manufacturer is developing its own dedicated gimbal camera. The leak was shared on Weibo by the generally reliable insider Digital Chat Station, although the original post does not name the company involved. The comment section adds useful context. Digital Chat Station explained why such a product could be appealing for a smartphone brand: it would enable exceptionally close integration between the phone and the standalone camera. That level of ecosystem synergy could become a major selling point.

There is another advantage for the manufacturer. It could likely draw on its existing supplier relationships, especially for the silicon. According to the leak, the gimbal camera is expected to feature a 3-nm Snapdragon 8-series chip, giving the device considerable computing power. It is still unclear how that performance would be used beyond image capture and smooth operation, but on-device AI and advanced image processing seem plausible. The rumour also points to a large image sensor, where the manufacturer could again benefit from established supply chains. For now, it remains entirely unclear how far along the project is and when this rumoured gimbal camera might officially debut.