DJI’s next smartphone gimbal might include a telescoping selfie stick

DJI appears to have another smartphone gimbal on the way with a telescoping selfie stick built into its handle, according to WinFuture. The Osmo Mobile 5, which is an apparent successor to last year’s Osmo Mobile 4, is likely to make its first appearance at DJI’s September 8th launch event where it will reportedly earn a European price of €159, which roughly translates to a tax-inclusive price of $188.

The Osmo Mobile 5 reportedly folds down to around 17cm (6.7 inches), but can be extended when you need to get closer to your subject, or further away from yourself. From the pictures, it doesn’t seem to extend quite as much as a traditional selfie stick, but it should be enough to give you a little extra flexibility with your shots. When extended, the gimbal’s controls sensibly remain down by your hand. Sure, selfie sticks have a pretty terrible reputation as the chosen accessory of inconsiderate tourists, but they’re pretty damn handy in the right circumstances.

Unfortunately, it sounds like the telescoping mechanism built into the Osmo Mobile 5 has had an impact on battery life, which reportedly stands at around 6 hours and 20 minutes compared to 15 hours for the Osmo Mobile 4. Thankfully the magnetic mounting system from the Osmo Mobile 4 has stuck around, which should mean it’s as easy as ever to quickly attach and detach your phone from the gimbal.

Alongside the Osmo Mobile 5, WinFuture’s Roland Quandt also reports that there’s a more affordable $99 version of the Osmo Mobile 4 on the way, which won’t include the original $149 gimbal’s magnetic mounting system. A shame for sure, but it’s hard to argue with the discount.