Xtra Muse 2 Pro refunds begin after preorder pause
Xtra is refunding $20 reservations for its Muse 2 Pro camera as FCC scrutiny of alleged DJI-linked sellers intensifies.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Xtra Muse 2 Pro refunds are being issued after the camera company halted its Early Bird preorder program for the unreleased gimbal camera, according to a statement posted by Xtra and emails to customers viewed by Mashable.
The company said it had reviewed its product and launch readiness and decided to pause the program because it could not confirm a dependable release window. Xtra said it did not think customer money should stay tied up while the timing remained uncertain.
Customers had paid $20 to reserve the Xtra Muse 2 Pro and secure a $60 discount when the camera became available, according to Mashable. Xtra is refunding that reservation fee and giving affected customers a 10 percent coupon for products it already sells.
The refunds land after complaints from would-be buyers who criticized Xtra online for taking reservations without announcing a target launch date, Mashable reported.
Why did Xtra cancel Muse 2 Pro preorders?
Xtra attributed the pause to product and launch readiness, according to its statement, and did not give a more detailed public explanation. The move also comes soon after the Federal Communications Commission began investigating eight companies, including Xtra, over whether their products should be covered by U.S. restrictions tied to DJI.
DJI, the China-based drone and camera maker, has been effectively blocked from bringing new products into the United States after the FCC cited national security and data-spying concerns late last year, Mashable reported. DJI devices that were already on sale before the action can still be sold for now, and current owners can keep using them, but new DJI products have not been cleared for import.
Xtra appeared last year with cameras that closely resemble DJI models, according to Mashable and reporting by The Verge. The Muse 2 Pro has drawn particular attention because it looks highly similar to DJI’s new Osmo Pocket 4 Pro, aside from some design changes, Mashable reported.
Some online researchers have claimed Xtra may be a DJI front company created to sell products affected by the ban in the U.S. Mashable reported that The Verge and others have examined possible links and similarities between Xtra and DJI, but Xtra’s preorder statement did not address those claims.
DJI has pursued patent claims against camera rivals including Insta360, according to Mashable. The company has not taken similar public action against Xtra over products that critics say closely resemble DJI gear, Mashable reported.
The FCC had previously asked the eight companies for information about whether any products they sell belonged on the covered list of restricted items, according to The Verge. The companies apparently did not respond, and the FCC has demanded the information while issuing a $25,000 fine to each, including Xtra, The Verge reported.
The agency is also examining whether previously approved Xtra products could be banned retroactively, according to The Verge and FCC documents.
For buyers, the immediate result is plain: the Muse 2 Pro launch has no confirmed date, and Xtra is returning preorder money. Xtra has not said the camera is dead, but the refund notice and the FCC investigation leave its U.S. availability unresolved.
This story draws on original reporting from Mashable.