This year in Shenzhen’s smart-imaging arena, the 360-camera hegemon Yingshi Innovation struck first, breaking the stalemate by launching the consumer drone brand “Yingling Antigravity” in a cross-sector move. Three days later, drone giant DJI responded forcefully with its first 360 camera, Osmo360. In order to tap incremental markets, these two leaders decisively invaded each other’s core turf, and a cross-border showdown thus began.
I. What are action cameras & 360 cameras?
As iterative upgrades to the traditional imaging industry, smart-imaging devices are defined by their active computing and processing capability. Their technological core fuses five pillars—computing, data processing, sensors, network communications, and power electronics. Compared with traditional devices such as film cameras, digital cameras, and camcorders, they achieve three breakthroughs: more flexible product form factors, better adaptation to shooting scenarios, and higher efficiency in post-processing.
From a product-matrix perspective, smart-imaging devices have formed a category layout covering multiple scenarios, including aerial-photography drones for high-altitude shooting needs and wearable cameras suited to on-the-go recording. Among them, 360 cameras and action cameras are important branches that combine portability with consumer demand. On this basis, this article narrows its analysis to the handheld smart-imaging track, and through in-depth deconstruction of the development logic of action cameras and 360 cameras, explores the core characteristics and growth potential of this niche.
II. Market size for action cameras & 360 cameras
The global market for handheld smart-imaging devices shows core characteristics of “steady scale expansion, shipment-driven growth, and ASP pressure on action cameras,” summarized in three aspects: From a market-size perspective, according to public data, from 2017 to 2023 the retail market’s CAGR reached 14.2%, growing from 16.43 billion yuan (approximately USD 2.31 billion) to 36.47 billion yuan (approximately USD 5.14 billion). Both action cameras (CAGR 14.5%) and 360 cameras (CAGR 12.3%) achieved significant growth. Only in 2020 did the action-camera market size decline year-on-year due to the global pandemic suppressing outdoor sports and travel demand; in 2021, as scenarios recovered, it rebounded, confirming the track’s long-term resilience.
From a growth-driver perspective, the core force behind the market-size growth of both device types is shipment increases. Since 2017, shipments of action cameras and 360 cameras have had CAGRs of 21.2% and 14.2% respectively, closely aligning with the market-size growth trend; sustained volume expansion directly reflects expanding terminal demand.
From a price-trend perspective, from 2017 to 2023 the average selling price of action cameras fell from 988 yuan per unit (approximately USD 139) to 705 yuan per unit (approximately USD 99). The decline stems from more fragmented competition (the top-five brands’ market share falling), homogenization of traditional products (small differences in appearance and function), and innovative form factors pulling down the average price (wearable products offering high cost-performance). Looking ahead, because homogenization remains unresolved and innovative products will still be guided by cost-performance, action-camera ASPs are expected to continue to trend down.
III. Competitive landscape for action cameras & 360 cameras
The two tracks of handheld smart-imaging devices show markedly different competitive patterns: The action-camera market is trending toward intensified fragmentation—according to one firm’s data analysis, its top-five (CR5) share fell from 86% in 2017 to 68% in 2023, with the dominance of leaders continually weakening; by contrast, the 360-camera market has moved in the opposite direction toward concentration, with the top-three (CR3) share rising from 51% in 2017 to 89% in 2023, as market resources accelerated their aggregation toward the leaders.
The core driver of this concentration is differences in the iteration capability of leading brands’ products. There are fewer competitors in 360 cameras than in action cameras; the current CR3 brands are Yingshi, Japan’s Ricoh, and GoPro. Among them, Yingshi has continually increased its market share through a combined strategy of “high-frequency product iteration + focused promotion of core products,” while Ricoh and GoPro—because their development focus is not on 360 cameras—have seen product iteration lag. This has ultimately pushed the market not only to concentrate toward the top, but to concentrate toward the single brand Yingshi.
Looking at the future competitive situation, DJI’s launch this year of its first 360 camera marks its official entry into the track. In the medium to long term (the next 3–5 years), it is expected to further squeeze the market space of Ricoh and GoPro, break the current pattern dominated by Yingshi, and drive the track to evolve into a “Yingshi vs. DJI two-strong rivalry.”
IV. Future growth space for action cameras & 360 cameras
From a demand-driver perspective, action cameras and 360 cameras show differentiated growth logic: For action cameras, the dual core variables are “population size + penetration rate.” According to public disclosures, from 2017 to 2023 the global population of outdoor-sports enthusiasts grew from 420 million to 1.22 billion, while the penetration rate of action cameras within this population rose from 3.4% to 3.7%, creating a dual engine of “an expanding base population + increased individual purchase willingness.” In the future, although the growth rate of the enthusiast population will slow due to base effects, the trend of sports sharing will continue to push up purchase rates to support sales.
For 360 cameras, scenario-driven demand is achieved by relying on the “social ecosystem + low-barrier advantage.” Their shooting difficulty is lower and their play styles more diverse, fitting short-video dissemination needs more closely. Their growth momentum comes from the steady increase in global social-media users and rising market purchase rates. In the future, with the steady increase in the number of social-media users worldwide and the rapid rise from a low base in 360-camera penetration, the market size is expected to maintain relatively fast growth.
[Disclaimer]: The above content reflects analysis of publicly available information, expert insights, and BCC research. It does not constitute investment advice. BCC is not responsible for any losses resulting from reliance on the views expressed herein. Investors should exercise caution.