First DJI Pocket 4 Unboxing Points to April 16 Launch

The DJI Osmo Pocket 4 just went from packaging leaks to hands-on video. The first unboxing footage of the upcoming gimbal camera has surfaced on YouTube, and it includes a specific claim: the official launch date is April 16, 2026.

If that holds, DJI’s most anticipated camera of the year arrives sooner than most of the leak community expected, as The New Camera just reported.

What the Unboxing Shows

The video reveals the full contents of what appears to be the standard retail package. Inside the box: the camera body, an extension arm, a stand, an attachable fill light, ND filters, a microphone cradle, cables, a charger, a wrist strap, and two carrying cases. That’s a notably generous box for what should be the base configuration.

NotebookCheck, which covered the unboxing footage today, pointed out something interesting. The packaging shown in the video doesn’t carry the “Creator Combo” branding that DJI used for the Pocket 3’s accessory-loaded bundle.

That raises a real question: is DJI folding what used to be the Creator Combo into the standard package? Because it just look like this.

The Pocket 3 Creator Combo was so popular it was frequently sold out. Bundling the microphone and fill light into every box would be a smart move, and the unboxing footage suggests that’s exactly what’s happening.

The camera itself retains the compact form factor of the Pocket 3 but adds two new physical buttons. Based on early analysis, these are likely dedicated to gimbal centering and zoom control, both of which were touch-only on the Pocket 3. The protective case has also been redesigned and is visibly smaller than its predecessor.

Confirmed Specs from Retail Packaging

The spec sheet isn’t a mystery anymore. Retail packaging photos that surfaced earlier this month, first reported by The New Camera and shared by well-known leaker OsitaLV, show the full list printed on the final box. These specs are printed on production packaging sitting in warehouses, not pulled from speculation threads.

The Pocket 4 keeps the 1-inch sensor from the Pocket 3 but upgrades the dynamic range to 14 stops, a meaningful improvement for high-contrast outdoor shooting. Built-in storage jumps to 107GB with transfer speeds up to 800MB/s, which effectively eliminates the need for a microSD card for most shooting sessions. No microSD card slot is visible on the packaging, suggesting DJI has removed it entirely.

The camera supports 2x lossless zoom using a sensor crop rather than digital interpolation, 10-bit D-Log color, and 4-channel audio output replacing the Pocket 3’s stereo setup. Multiple sources also point to 4K recording at 120fps, with some reports suggesting 6K capability, though that specific figure hasn’t appeared on the retail packaging.

Launch Date and Pricing

Here’s where it gets interesting. Most of the leak community has been pointing to April 20 as the global launch date, a claim backed by Colombian authorized dealer DroneTechx’s active pre-sale campaign and multiple independent supply chain sources. April 20 also lands during NAB week, which would give DJI a built-in audience of professional creators and media buyers.

The unboxing video, however, claims April 16. NotebookCheck suggests this earlier date may apply to the China launch specifically, with the broader global rollout still on track for April 20. A Guangzhou-based bulk supplier has already opened pre-sale at a converted price of roughly $455 per unit, though that’s a minimum-two-unit bulk order and won’t reflect final US retail pricing.

For US buyers, the pricing picture is clearer. Multiple sources estimate $499 to $599 for the standard Pocket 4, with the Creator Combo (if it still exists as a separate SKU) expected between $649 and $749. If DJI holds the base at $499, matching the current Pocket 3 retail price, that’s aggressive given the storage and sensor upgrades.

Mainland China retail deliveries are reportedly set to begin April 20, with US availability expected in the last week of April.

US Availability and the DJI Ban Question

The Pocket 4 isn’t a drone, and that distinction matters right now. The standard Pocket 4 secured FCC certification before DJI was added to the FCC’s Covered List in December 2025. That means it should be available through normal US retail channels including Amazon, B&H Photo, and Best Buy without the delays and restrictions that have affected recent DJI drone launches like the Avata 360.

The Pocket 4 Pro, a dual-camera variant reportedly coming in May or June 2026, is a different story. It has no FCC registration on record, and its US availability looks uncertain at best.

DroneXL’s Take

Here’s what I actually think. The Pocket 4 isn’t a revolutionary redesign, and that’s the smartest thing DJI could have done with it. The Pocket 3 was already the best pocketable gimbal camera on the market. What creators needed wasn’t a new form factor. They needed more storage, better dynamic range, proper zoom controls, and improved audio. That’s exactly what the packaging confirms.

The 107GB of built-in storage at 800MB/s transfer speeds is the spec that changes daily workflows. Shooting a full day without swapping cards, then offloading footage at speeds that don’t make you want to go make coffee, is the kind of practical upgrade that matters more than any headline resolution number.

The April 16 date is worth watching but not worth banking on for US buyers. China often gets DJI products first, and even if the official announcement lands on the 16th, American customers will likely wait until late April.

The real question is whether DJI’s supply chain delivers better than the Avata 360 launch did. Stock shortages on a camera this anticipated would be an unforced error.

One thing to keep in mind: the Insta360 Luna, with its dual-camera design, is still waiting in the wings. If DJI ships at $499 before Luna hits shelves, DJI owns this category for another cycle. The window is open, and based on everything we’ve seen, DJI is about to walk right through it.

Photo credit: The New Camera