Insta360: Difference between revisions

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==Consumer impact summary==

===Freedom===

Same as with [[DJI]] products, this manufacturer's devices require an initial connection to a proprietary app in order to be usable. DJI allows only five power-on cycles before requiring activation through their DJI Mimo app for cameras like the Osmo Action series and Pocket 3.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Activating Your Handheld Products |url=https://support.dji.com/help/content?customId=01700006759&spaceId=17&re=US&lang=en&documentType=&paperDocType=ARTICLE |url-status=live |website=DJI Support}}</ref>

Same as with some [[DJI]] products, this manufacturer's devices require an initial connection to a proprietary app in order to be usable. DJI allows only five power-on cycles before requiring activation through their DJI Mimo app for cameras like the Osmo Action series and Pocket 3.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Activating Your Handheld Products |url=https://support.dji.com/help/content?customId=01700006759&spaceId=17&re=US&lang=en&documentType=&paperDocType=ARTICLE |url-status=live |website=DJI Support}}</ref>

In contrast, manufacturers like AKASO and SJCAM maintain more consumer-friendly approaches, allowing their cameras to operate without app activation. Their apps provide remote control and advanced features but remain optional enhancements rather than mandatory requirements.

Please check if the activation via the Insta360 APP can be bypassed via manual firmware update, as supposedly this is the case with GoPro cameras. For manual firmware updates for your camera, please check the Insta360 manual.

=== User Service Agreement requiring promotion of Chinese interests regardless of user country ===

As of writing in 2025, the current version isn't as different compared to similar agreements by other digital companies, but it cannot be ruled out whether under the current user service agreement they would still enforce the aspects of prior user service agreements and disable user accounts and applications if those were considered as breached. Since an user account and an application was/is required for continued use of the products, termination of such would effectively terminate the hardware too.

As with many other digital hardware purchases, the buyer is required to accept privacy policies and user service agreements ''after'' the sale has taken place. It is up to the seller or retailer whether the buyer can return the product if they consider the terms of software unacceptable. Additionally the buyer must potentially deal with return postage fees and extra hassle, so the company is essentially forcing the user service agreement with the cost of the hard to return product as leverage.

==== Insta360 user service agreement during 2023 ====

In the user service agreement, under section 7. which was about intellectual property, the user agreed to comply with "''the Law of the People's Republic of China on Keeping Confidentiality of State Secrets, Copyright Law of the People's Republic of China, Regulations of the People's Republic of China for Safety Protection of Computer Information Systems, Regulations for the Protection of Computer Software, Regulations on the Protection of the Right to Network Dissemination of Information and other laws and regulations relating to computer and Internet regulations''". In further sections of the agreement the requirement is further expanded to cover any and all laws and regulations that may be relevant to a region or situation.

It was mentioned that if either agreeing party of this agreement breached it, "''the breaching party shall compensate the defending party for the damage''".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Insta360 |date= |title=Insta360 User Service Agreement |url=https://www.insta360.com/support/supportcourse?post_id=9146&locale=en |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720011823/https://www.insta360.com/support/supportcourse?post_id=9146&locale=en |archive-date=2023-07-20 |access-date=}}</ref>

In the same document under section 8. titled "''User behaviour specification''" it was mandated that any content you may transmit trough their application does not contain content that:

(2) ''endangers national unity ...'' [of China]

(3) ... ''damages national honor and interests'' [of China or any country]

(5) ''undermines national religious policies, promoting cults and superstition'' [of China or any country]

(6) ''disturbs social order'' [of China or any country]

(8) ''infringing on'' ... ''legitimate rights and interests of'' [any] ''others''

And if these were breached, they have right to terminate services and to report to relevant govenrment departments.<ref name=":0" /> Effectively bricking the hardware as a result.

In the document under section 12. titled "Special agreement", it is mentioned that the services are delivered from China and it is up to the user to make sure it complies according to their local law.

Even if it was considered unreasonable to require agreement of those above mentioned aspects according to the users local jurisdiction, it is entirely reasonable to assume that if a Chinese law was breached, they could still terminate the products.<ref name=":0" />

===Locked Features===

Some of advertised features of the [[Insta360 X5]] cannot be used outside of the mobile app.

For example the Starlapse mode, which is available on-camera. In this mode the camera does indeed shoot a timelapse with long exposure frames as expected, but the actual starlapse with star trails as advertised on the official page cannot be created outside of the mobile app. Even in the desktop official insta360 app, the starlapse is not available at all. If the user wants to create a starlapse, then they must keep all the photos on the microSD card and use the mobile app to frame and export the video. If at a later date the user wants to export another angle of view from the same timelapse, then they must copy all the individual frames back to the microSD card, insert it into the camera and use the mobile app once again.

===Embedded advertising===

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*Insta360 GO 3S

*Insta360 Flow 2 Pro

*[[Insta360 Evo]]

==References==

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 ==Consumer impact summary==
 ===Freedom===
-Same as with [[DJI]] products, this manufacturer's devices require an initial connection to a proprietary app in order to be usable. DJI allows only five power-on cycles before requiring activation through their DJI Mimo app for cameras like the Osmo Action series and Pocket 3.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Activating Your Handheld Products |url=https://support.dji.com/help/content?customId=01700006759&spaceId=17&re=US&lang=en&documentType=&paperDocType=ARTICLE |url-status=live |website=DJI Support}}</ref>
+Same as with some [[DJI]] products, this manufacturer's devices require an initial connection to a proprietary app in order to be usable. DJI allows only five power-on cycles before requiring activation through their DJI Mimo app for cameras like the Osmo Action series and Pocket 3.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Activating Your Handheld Products |url=https://support.dji.com/help/content?customId=01700006759&spaceId=17&re=US&lang=en&documentType=&paperDocType=ARTICLE |url-status=live |website=DJI Support}}</ref>
 In contrast, manufacturers like AKASO and SJCAM maintain more consumer-friendly approaches, allowing their cameras to operate without app activation. Their apps provide remote control and advanced features but remain optional enhancements rather than mandatory requirements.
+Please check if the activation via the Insta360 APP can be bypassed via manual firmware update, as supposedly this is the case with GoPro cameras. For  manual firmware updates for your camera,  please check the Insta360 manual.
+=== User Service Agreement requiring promotion of Chinese interests regardless of user country ===
+As of writing in 2025, the current version isn't as different compared to similar agreements by other digital companies, but it cannot be ruled out whether under the current user service agreement they would still enforce the aspects of prior user service agreements and disable user accounts and applications if those were considered as breached. Since an user account and an application was/is required for continued use of the products, termination of such would effectively terminate the hardware too.
+As with many other digital hardware purchases, the buyer is required to accept privacy policies and user service agreements ''after'' the sale has taken place. It is up to the seller or retailer whether the buyer can return the product if they consider the terms of software unacceptable. Additionally the buyer must potentially deal with return postage fees and extra hassle, so the company is essentially forcing the user service agreement with the cost of the hard to return product as leverage.
+==== Insta360 user service agreement during 2023 ====
+In the user service agreement, under section 7. which was about intellectual property, the user agreed to comply with "''the Law of the People's Republic of China on Keeping Confidentiality of State Secrets, Copyright Law of the People's Republic of China, Regulations of the People's Republic of China for Safety Protection of Computer Information Systems, Regulations for the Protection of Computer Software, Regulations on the Protection of the Right to Network Dissemination of Information and other laws and regulations relating to computer and Internet regulations''". In further sections of the agreement the requirement is further expanded to cover any and all laws and regulations that may be relevant to a region or situation.
+It was mentioned that if either agreeing party of this agreement breached it, "''the breaching party shall compensate the defending party for the damage''".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Insta360 |date= |title=Insta360 User Service Agreement |url=https://www.insta360.com/support/supportcourse?post_id=9146&locale=en |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720011823/https://www.insta360.com/support/supportcourse?post_id=9146&locale=en |archive-date=2023-07-20 |access-date=}}</ref>
+In the same document under section 8. titled "''User behaviour specification''" it was mandated that any content you may transmit trough their application does not contain content that:
+(2) ''endangers national unity ...'' [of China]
+(3) ... ''damages national honor and interests'' [of China or any country]
+(5) ''undermines national religious policies, promoting cults and superstition'' [of China or any country]
+(6) ''disturbs social order'' [of China or any country]
+(8) ''infringing on'' ... ''legitimate rights and interests of'' [any] ''others''
+And if these were breached, they have right to terminate services and to report to relevant govenrment departments.<ref name=":0" /> Effectively bricking the hardware as a result.
+In the document under section 12. titled "Special agreement", it is mentioned that the services are delivered from China and it is up to the user to make sure it complies according to their local law.
+Even if it was considered unreasonable to require agreement of those above mentioned aspects according to the users local jurisdiction, it is entirely reasonable to assume that if a Chinese law was breached, they could still terminate the products.<ref name=":0" />
+===Locked Features===
+Some of advertised features of the [[Insta360 X5]] cannot be used outside of the mobile app.
+For example the Starlapse mode, which is available on-camera. In this mode the camera does indeed shoot a timelapse with long exposure frames as expected, but the actual starlapse with star trails as advertised on the official page cannot be created outside of the mobile app. Even in the desktop official insta360 app, the starlapse is not available at all. If the user wants to create a starlapse, then they must keep all the photos on the microSD card and use the mobile app to frame and export the video. If at a later date the user wants to export another angle of view from the same timelapse, then they must copy all the individual frames back to the microSD card, insert it into the camera and use the mobile app once again.
 ===Embedded advertising===
@@ Line 93: / Line 128: @@
 *Insta360 GO 3S
 *Insta360 Flow 2 Pro
+*[[Insta360 Evo]]
 ==References==