Insta360 has announced the new Insta360 Wave webcam accessory, a device the company is calling a 'professional-grade speakerphone with integrated AI recording suite'. The stand-out design is described as 'levitating' and – among other uses – it can bring Insta360's Link 2 into the conference camera market.
In a week of significant launches from Insta360's leading competitors GoPro and DJI – the company is launching in another very different space.
The Wave works on its own as an 8-microphone 3D array boasting advanced AI-powered noise cancellation and dereverberation, and can be used for sound recording or as a high-end mic for podcasting and the like. It records 48kHz detail from up to 16ft away.
The built-in AI is capable of eliminating 300 types of background sound, from keyboard clicks to street noise, and it features acoustic echo cancellation and automatic gain control.
The speaker is capable of full duplex audio, and a built-in battery means it can operate via Bluetooth alone for up to 12 hours. Controls are in a 1.82-inch touchscreen in the base. It can record to its own built-in 32GB of storage – up to 1,000 hours of audio, too.
The device is designed to couple with the Link 2, Insta360's subject-tracking webcam with a built-in gimbal, creating a complete meeting camera system. Insta360 haven't stopped there, though, with an AI meeting assistant tool InSight capable of transcribing meetings in 99 languages.
The software – payable at an additional subscription – can identify speakers by voice, produce smart summaries, and be set with workplace-specific glossaries so it'll know your office's terminology. (There is a monthly or an annual pro plan, at $99/year to support these features).
A nice feature in the demo – a QR code appears on the screen at the base of the device and you can scan it to download a meeting transcription.
The system will also let you chat with ChatGPT and Gemini, and can scale with multiple devices in larger rooms.
Sound optimization allows for Omni-directional, front-focused (cardioid), supercardioid, a 'figure-8' shape for front-and-back (meetings of two people face to face), and stereo for creatives – Insta360 suggests music or ASMR recordings!
The Insta360 Wave is available from today, sold in a 'standard bundle', including a carry bag and cable, for $299.99 / £279 / AU$519.99, or bundled with the Insta360 Link 2 for $499 / £478 / AU$849. It'll be on sale at major retailers and from Insta360 direct.
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