Insta360 X6 leak hints at imminent launch – could the updated camera fix the X5’s biggest weakness?

According to online leaks, the Insta360 X6 has been registered by the 360-degree camera market leader, so delivery of the new top-of-the-range camera – the sequel to the X5 – should be expected soon.

The leaker, Mauro Tandoi, posts about drones and cameras, and seems to have some good evidence at times, so I am not ignoring what he has to say here.

But what features would a new X6 offer that the X5 – already our top pick for best 360 camera – offer? Well, in truth, the X5's advantage isn't as clear now as it was when that camera launched. Since then, both the DJI Osmo 360 and the GoPro Max 2 have come along with new features and sensors making the X5's position a lot more precarious.

Many might suggest that a bump in image sensor size – to at least match the DJI Osmo 360's 1/1.1-inch sensors – would be the obvious one.

8K60fps would also be a significant step up. The X5 (and indeed the Antigravity A1 drone) are both 30fps in 8K, dropping to 5.7K for single lens 120fps.

A newer camera should offer 10-bit color and better HDR in order to compete with DJI's offering, and larger image sensors in order to tackle the low-light complaints.

Boosting the battery and internal thermals could help with the necessary processing. If 8K60fps is a little way off, then higher imaging resolutions seem even further away, so don't expect to hear anything about 16K!

The other aspect of 360-degree imaging which gives a company an edge is the post-processing software, and there Insta360 has long held an advantage thanks in large part to its head start, but both DJI and GoPro have been catching up, as evidenced by their recent releases. In fact, this is essentially how the X5 clings on our list – that and availability issues surrounding DJI in the USA.

In DJI's case, that was the company's first 360-degree drone, the Avata 360, and – while I still found aspects of the Studio app clunky, especially around saving and exporting – it definitely afforded a lot of possibilities.

None of this can be known for sure from the information currently available, but the leak from certification suggests that the spring launch window is likely, as it has been in years past. Both the X4 and X5 launched in mid-April.

Interestingly, prices have also crept up over time, the X4 launched at $499, while the X5 was generally $549. Now, there is no information on a new price, but with tariffs and semiconductor limitations, it seems very unlikely a new device will cost less to buy.

On the other hand, traditionally the previous year's model has often gotten cheaper...