DJI’s latest smartphone gimbal, the Osmo Mobile 8, is being made available globally but American buyers are again left out in the cold. The company previously confirmed wider availability after an initial launch in China, but its US site still lists many of the brand’s key products out of stock and the new gimbal isn’t being offered stateside at launch.
What’s New With Osmo Mobile 8: Features and Upgrades
The Osmo Mobile 8 adds some creator-friendly flourishes to DJI’s line of handhelds: 360-degree panning moves for dynamic reveals and barrel-roll effects, enhanced subject-tracking functionality that now works with pets, and native Apple DockKit support so the iPhone can hand off camera framing to the gimbal while shooting hands-free. Every day, it remains essentially a 3-axis stabilizer for smoothing out shaky handheld video footage on iOS and Android.
The Osmo Mobile 8’s reveal comes after the quickfire launch of the Osmo Mobile 7 and 7P earlier this year, making DJI’s third refresh of its smartphone stabilizer in short order. In China, the OM8 is available at 898 yuan, which is approximately $126 at current exchange rates. It doesn’t climb into pro-cinema territory but rather sits as an absolute mainstream creator.
Why US Buyers Can’t Purchase the Osmo Mobile 8 Yet
There’s no clear explanation for DJI not showing on stage in the US, but it’s hard to read the room there. The company has come under increasing scrutiny in Washington — including landing itself on the US Department of Commerce Entity List and being added to the Federal Communications Commission’s Covered List, which effectively bars any federal money or elongates regulatory paths for new wireless gear. Lawmakers have also proposed other measures like the Countering CCP Drones Act that, if passed into law, might restrict approvals for future DJI products.
None of these steps are an outright ban on consumer sales of smartphone gimbals, yet they have created an uncertain operating environment. That uncertainty reflects an increasingly common sight in recent months: “out of stock” notices across DJI’s US web store — not only for drones, but also for cameras and accessories — forcing creators to scramble to find inventory through third-party sellers or pull together a rig based on alternative components.
Impact on Creators and the Market Amid US Absence
For mobile filmmakers and social video crews, the absence is more than simply inconvenient. Gimbals such as the Osmo Mobile range are inexpensive, capable stabilizers for reels, live streams and on-the-go product shoots, especially when you add auto-tracking and gesture controls. Without a US launch, production crews associated with DJI workflows could potentially hold off on upgrading or change ecosystems to keep consistency of their gear and backing.
DJI has a brand that strongly attracts: the company has long dominated consumer drones, with historical market shares well north of 70% in most analyst accounts (DroneAnalyst). Gimbals are a smaller category, but DJI’s software polish and accessory ecosystem — magnetic mounts, fill lights, mics — should help lock in repeat buyers. Cut the beat, and opponents get an opening.
How It Compares to Rivals from Insta360 and Zhiyun
Competing models like Insta360’s Flow/Flow Pro and Zhiyun’s Smooth series are available in the US and already effectively challenge DJI on features, including stable subject tracking, advanced follow modes and sizable foldable designs.
Support for the Apple DockKit standard is a reason to invest in the Osmo Mobile 8 — Belkin’s DockKit stand demonstrated how smoothly iPhone-native tracking can work — but creators deciding between devices will consider availability, warranty support and long-term app updates as well.
If US availability stays constricted, retailers could push in harder on these rivals’ bundles — mics, lights, tripods — targeted at TikTok and YouTube Shorts and Instagram creators who have little time for assembling a ready-to-shoot kit. For many, a 10% improvement in stabilization or tracking response matters less than the ability to purchase, ship and service a rig right now.
What to Watch Next for US Availability and Policy
All the attention is on whether DJI can manage a policy headwind and enable predictable US stock.
The company has always staged releases region by region, but the current one appears to be more than just a logistical glitch.
In the meantime, creators from outside the US will get an early chance to test-drive the Osmo Mobile 8’s new moves, while American consumers are left deciding between patience, gray market and a system swap.
Yet for a category forged in smooth footage, its surroundings have seldom felt shakier.