The leaked DJI Osmo 360 looks like very bad news for the delayed GoPro Max 2

• New DJI Osmo 360 leaks reveal more about the incoming action cam
• Mock-ups based on schematics give us an idea of potential design
• GoPro Max 2 still hasn't launched a year on from official confirmation

The great DJI vs GoPro battle looks likely to enter a new chapter soon, with regulatory filings recently revealing that a new DJI Osmo 360 is en route. And now some new mockups of the 360 camera suggest it could be a major headache for the delayed GoPro Max 2.

While the discovery of a DJI Osmo 360 filing from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) gave us our first hint of the camera's existence, the fan-made renders (based on schematics) show why it could be a powerful GoPro and Insta360 alternative.

For example, on X (formerly Twitter) @hakasushi, who has previously made precise size comparisons of unreleased DJI drones, created the images below based on leaked schematics, showing how similar the DJI Osmo 360 could look to the still-unreleased GoPro Max 2. A size comparison also shows how it might compare to the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro and Insta360 X4.

That size difference suggests the DJI Osmo 360 could have more in common with GoPro's Max cameras, than the more elongated approach of the five-star X4. It also means DJI's 360 camera could go for a landscape screen below its two lenses, with its microphone, power button and battery compartment on the side.

It's early days for Osmo 360 rumors, but the image below was also given the nod of approval by the biggest DJI leaker, @Quadro_News, on X (formerly Twitter). DJI also loves nothing better than squaring up directly to GoPro, as it did with its Osmo action cameras – so expect to see the latest round in that tussle kick off soon.

With FCC filings typically arriving a few weeks before an official launch, DJI's first 360 camera could be with us before Christmas.

Where is the GoPro Max 2?

We were already starting to fear for the GoPro Max 2 before these DJI Osmo 360 leaks. The original GoPro Max landed way back in October 2019, but then in September 2023 GoPro confirmed in an earnings call that a successor was finally "in the works". Fast forward another year, and there's still no sign of it.

Since then, Insta360 has become the undoubted king of 360-degree action cams. The benefit of models like the Insta360 X4 is that you can film in all directions at once, without the headache of framing your shot, and then 'direct' your video in software afterwards.

This also opens up all kinds of creative effects, making the best 360 cameras some of the most fun you can shoot with. The question is whether DJI can nail the software side of 360 cameras – which includes stitching and complex editing – in its first attempt with the Osmo 360.

History would suggest that's unlikely, which means Insta360 will be confident of retaining its title, given it's been making these action cameras for several years. But DJI isn't afraid of iterating quickly and having another major player in the space will be good news for consumers – particularly if GoPro continues to stand on the sidelines.

You might also like

• GoPro Hero review: the action camera king goes back to basics
• GoPro Max 2: What we want to see
• Is the GoPro Enduro battery an essential upgrade for your Hero action cam?