- A new, official GoPro Max 2 teaser shows it’s finally gearing up for launch
- The 360-degree action cam has been in the works for years
- It’ll compete with the recently-leaked DJI Osmo 360 and Insta360 X5
The GoPro Max 2 has been in development for so long it’s almost gained mythical status, but the 360 camera is finally ready to officially launch – as some new teaser images have just confirmed.
GoPro shared the two Max 2 images, which show two skydivers using the camera, across all of its social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter). They were accompanied by the one-word tagline “dropping”, which suggests we could finally see the camera soon.
The images don’t tell us a huge amount about the true successor to the original GoPro Max, which launched way back in 2019. Like the GoPro Hero 13 Black, the camera body has a finned heat sink on the front to help it avoid overheating. The Max 2’s lens also appears to be more centralized than on its predecessor.
GoPro’s long-awaited camera will be dropping into an increasingly crowded space. The battle for the title of best 360 camera has heated up recently, with the arrival of the Insta360 X5, recent leaks unmasking the DJI Osmo 360, and Akaso today revealing the cheapest 360 camera so far, the Akaso 360.
But despite the growing competition, GoPro remains the most recognizable name in action cameras – so we’re looking forward to seeing what the incoming Max 2 brings.
Analysis: the competition can only be good for 360 camera fans
The GoPro Max 2’s backstory isn’t a promising one. GoPro originally told us its Insta360 rival was “in the works” way back in September 2023, almost two years ago. Then in May 2024 it was slated for a launch by the end of that year, only to then slip to 2025.
So why the long delay? GoPro hasn’t yet gone into specifics, but it’s no secret the company has been struggling recently. Earlier this year, CEO Nick Woodman voluntarily waived his salaryto help the company, but GoPro’s stock and revenue have both tanked over the past year.
Still, it’s good to see the Max 2 finally skydive in through some dark clouds. While it will likely struggle to eclipse Insta360’s latest flagships (the Chinese company has launched four iterations of its flagship 360-degree camera since the original Max), the Max 2 will hopefully bring some new features like interchangeable lenses and improved software to make it a good fight.
The good news for GoPro is that the benefits of 360 cameras still can’t really be replicated by smartphones. Shooting everything around you and then pointing the camera wherever you want afterwards is still a very helpful editing trick. And the 360 camera space will benefit from having a rejuvenated GoPro in the mix – even if its Chinese rivals have learned how to thrive in the post-action camera world.
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mark.wilson@futurenet.com (Mark Wilson)
