vivo Enters the Gimbal Camera Arena
According to a report from Leiphone (雷锋网), vivo is developing its first handheld gimbal camera, tentatively named "vivo Pocket", set for release in Q4 2026. Mass production is expected to start in October, with a launch window of November to December.
Key Details
- Sensor: 1/1.1-inch image sensor
- Production Target: ~1 million units initially
- Launch Timeline: Q4 2026 (October mass production, Nov-Dec launch)
- Market Positioning: Direct competitor to DJI's handheld gimbal cameras
The Chinese Gimbal Camera Race
vivo is far from alone. According to the report:
- OPPO: Has started its gimbal camera project (codenamed "Fuyao"), also targeting Q4 2026
- Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor: All have formed project teams, eyeing 2027 launches depending on market reception
Industry sources suggest vivo originally planned a Q3 2026 launch but pushed it back to Q4 to observe competitor products first.
Market Context
The handheld smart camera market is currently dominated by DJI with a 62% share (~10.4 million units in 2025), followed by Insta360 at 12% (~3.4 million), and GoPro at 8%. The entry of multiple Chinese smartphone giants signals growing confidence in this category.
Why It Matters
This move represents Chinese smartphone makers' strategy to diversify beyond saturated phone markets into adjacent consumer electronics categories — a trend that could reshape the global action camera and vlogging equipment landscape.
