Joby is a consumer electronics and photography accessories brand established in California in 2005. It is best known for the GorillaPod, a line of flexible tripods designed to bend, wrap, and grip various surfaces. The brand produces compact equipment tailored for photographers, smartphone users, vloggers, streamers, and travellers. Joby describes its core philosophy as creating tools that “adapt to you, not the other way around.”[1]

Note: Joby, the camera accessory manufacturer, is distinct from Joby Aviation, an electric air-taxi company.

Joby emerged during the early expansion of compact digital cameras and mobile photography. Rather than designing conventional rigid tripods, the brand focused on supports capable of bending, wrapping, and attaching to diverse environments. This concept led to the creation of the GorillaPod, which became the brand’s signature product family.

According to acquisition announcements by Vitec, Joby introduced its patented GorillaPod in 2006. The product offered a flexible alternative to traditional tripods, utilising articulated legs that could be positioned around branches, poles, and railings, or spread out as a standard tabletop support. This adaptability became central to the brand’s identity.

Early market positioning

Joby found success by bridging the gap between traditional photography equipment and everyday consumer electronics. The GorillaPod proved compatible with a wide range of devices, including:

• Compact cameras
• DSLR and mirrorless cameras
• Smartphones
• Action cameras
• Webcams
• Small lights and microphones

This versatility made the brand relevant to professional photographers as well as casual users, travellers, and the emerging vlogging market.

The GorillaPod is the product most closely associated with Joby’s identity. Instead of competing directly with full-size tripods, it introduced the proposition of a tripod that could go almost anywhere. Its segmented legs allow users to wrap the device around objects or adjust individual legs to compensate for uneven surfaces.

Modern iterations have expanded this concept significantly. For example, the GorillaPod 1K Gen 2 combines flexible legs with a 360-degree ball head, a 1/4-inch camera thread, a magnetic phone mount, and a cold-shoe slot. Consequently, the GorillaPod has evolved from a niche camera accessory into a broader creator-mounting platform.

Acquisition by DayMen

Joby later became part of DayMen, a company also associated with the photography accessory brand Lowepro. Reports indicate that DayMen acquired Joby in 2011. This acquisition provided Joby with access to a larger international distribution network while allowing it to continue developing its distinctive product lines.

Acquisition by Vitec

In 2017, the British imaging technology group Vitec Group plc acquired both Joby and Lowepro from DayMen. Vitec announced the transaction on 25 September 2017 for approximately $10.3 million in cash.[2][3] This placed Joby alongside established imaging brands such as Manfrotto, Gitzo, Lastolite, Lowepro, SmallHD, and Litepanels.

Vitec identified Joby as a key brand for the growing iPhoneography and vlogging accessories markets. Acquisition documents indicated that product development would remain focused on mobile and vlogging applications, with engineering resources distributed between California and Asia.

Current ownership structure

Although Vitec acquired Joby in 2017 and subsequently renamed itself Videndum plc in 2022, Joby’s current official website identifies the brand as part of the VIJIM Group. As of 2026, it is accurate to describe Joby as a VIJIM Group brand rather than solely a Videndum brand.[1]

A significant evolution in Joby’s history is its transition from a camera accessory manufacturer to a broader content-creation brand. While early users typically carried compact digital cameras, modern customers utilise a diverse array of equipment, including iPhones, mirrorless cameras, GoPro-style action cameras, webcams, microphones, LED lights, and smartphone gimbals.

This shift reflects the rise of platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and livestreaming services. Joby has responded by expanding beyond flexible tripods into an ecosystem of compact tools designed specifically for content creators.

Joby’s current portfolio encompasses several major categories.[1]

Mobile tripods

Designed primarily for smartphones and mobile content creation, this category includes:

• Smartphone tripods
• MagSafe-compatible mounts
• Selfie-stick/tripod hybrids
• Compact desktop tripods
• Flexible phone supports

Notable products include the NanoPod, introduced in 2026. Weighing approximately 70 g and folding to just 9 mm thick, it targets creators requiring pocket-sized support.

Camera tripods

Joby manufactures support systems for compact cameras, mirrorless cameras, DSLRs, and small video cameras. The GorillaPod family remains the primary offering in this segment.

Action-camera accessories

The brand produces compact mounting and support solutions specifically for action cameras and similar lightweight devices.

Mounts and creator accessories

Joby develops modular products enabling creators to combine cameras, smartphones, microphones, and lights. The GripTight Cold Shoe Mount, for instance, allows a phone to be mounted alongside a camera to function as a monitor or teleprompter.

Compact multi-purpose tripods

Newer products increasingly integrate multiple functions into single devices. The TelePod Mini combines a handheld grip, selfie stick, and tripod with a wireless remote, fill light, and cold-shoe mounts.

Joby’s design approach prioritises adaptability, portability, and creativity. The company emphasises giving creators the freedom to find unique shooting positions rather than being restricted to fixed tripod setups.

This philosophy is encapsulated in the concept “Find Your Angle,” which refers to both finding a physical shooting angle and discovering one’s creative perspective.[1] Accordingly, Joby products typically feature:

• Flexible positioning
• Small size and low weight
• Multiple shooting modes
• Modular mounting options
• Quick setup mechanisms
• Travel-friendly designs

Joby occupies a distinct position between consumer electronics and professional photography equipment. Its target demographics include:

• Casual users: Individuals seeking convenient phone or camera support.
• Travellers: Users who require compact alternatives to conventional tripods.
• Vloggers: Creators recording themselves who benefit from flexible mounting.
• Social-media creators: Producers of content for TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
• Photographers: Enthusiasts needing lightweight support for compact and mirrorless cameras.
• Streamers and podcasters: Users requiring modular ecosystems for phones, microphones, and lighting.

Joby’s primary competitive advantage lies in its product identity. While many manufacturers produce tripods, few offer a design as immediately recognisable as the GorillaPod. The segmented legs have become synonymous with the brand.

Unlike traditional brands that sell “camera stability” through rigid structures, Joby promotes the ability to place a camera wherever desired. Where traditional tripods offer stability through fixed positioning, Joby offers stability through flexibility, making it particularly suitable for unpredictable shooting environments.

Joby’s development can be categorised into four distinct stages:

2005–2006: Flexible tripod innovation

The brand established its identity around the GorillaPod concept.

2007–2016: Photography-accessory expansion

GorillaPod became a recognisable consumer product with variants designed for different camera sizes.

2017–2020s: Vlogging and smartphone transition

Following the Vitec acquisition, Joby shifted focus toward mobile photography, iPhoneography, and vlogging.

2020s–present: Creator ecosystem

Joby now positions itself as a creator-gear brand. Recent products incorporate MagSafe compatibility, wireless remotes, LED lighting, cold-shoe interfaces, and multi-function designs. Products such as the 2026 NanoPod, TelePod Mini, PodZilla Octo, and GripTight Cold Shoe Mount exemplify this direction.[1]

Joby’s visual and marketing identity emphasises adventure, exploration, creativity, mobility, and spontaneity. Its products are intentionally more playful and approachable than traditional professional equipment. The GorillaPod’s articulated legs, resembling a small mechanical creature, have helped make the product recognisable even among non-photographers.

Joby is not necessarily a direct substitute for professional tripod manufacturers. Photographers shooting studio portraits with heavy equipment may still prioritise maximum rigidity, high load capacity, and precise adjustment. Conversely, Joby users typically prioritise portability, flexibility, speed, unusual mounting positions, and smartphone compatibility. This distinction places Joby firmly in the portable and adaptable creator equipment sector.

Recognisable Joby product families include:

• GorillaPod: The flagship flexible tripod line.
• GripTight: Smartphone mounting and creator accessories.
• TelePod: Compact telescoping tripod and selfie-stick products.
• HandyPod: Compact handheld and tabletop tripods.
• PodZilla: Flexible and magnetic creator tripods.
• NanoPod: Ultra-compact magnetic phone tripods.

The current catalogue confirms continued development across mobile, action-camera, and conventional camera categories.[1]

Joby helped reshape consumer perceptions of camera support. Before the GorillaPod, tripods were generally viewed as large, rigid pieces of equipment. Joby introduced the concept of a small, flexible tool that travels with the user and attaches to the surrounding environment. This idea gained particular relevance as cameras became smaller and smartphone photography became mainstream.

As of 2026, Joby positions itself as a creative-tools brand rather than merely a tripod company. Current messaging describes the brand as building tools for “explorers and creators,” maintaining the philosophy that products should adapt to the user.[1] Recent launches demonstrate a clear emphasis on mobile creators, compact rigs, magnetic mounting systems, lighting, and multi-function products.

1. JOBY Our Story | Creator Gear Brand Vision
2. JOBY and Lowepro Acquired by Vitec Group, Owner of Manfrotto | PetaPixel
3. Manfrotto owner Vitec has acquired Lowepro and JOBY for $10.3 million in cash | DPReview