BY VIEWCAST    UPDATED April 19, 2025
ZY Play app offers functionalities aimed at enhancing mobile videography through its compatibility with various smartphone models and gimbals like the Smooth4, Smooth Q, and EVO Shift. The app's performance seems to fluctuate, with a smoother operation on iOS devices like the iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone X, and variable results on Android devices including the Samsung S8, Poco F1, and Huawei P20 Pro. Users report that the app offers a mixed bag of experiences, from software stability issues on some Android devices to full functionality across Samsung S5Neo, Galaxy S6, and J3 models.
Users have expressed a desire for additional features such as remote camera panning capabilities, 4k support for more devices, GoPro compatibility, and improvements to the bitrate for 4K recording. Notably, there are requests geared towards enhancing video quality and control, such as enabling 100mbps bitrate for video, improving focusing, and allowing true exposure locking. Furthermore, functional enhancements in auto tracking, focusing, and flash modes across various devices suggest a need for ongoing software upgrades.
The responsive nature of ZY Play's development team is evident, with numerous updates aiming to rectify reported issues. The quick resolution of bugs, like app crashes on specific Android phones, shows a commitment to improving user experience. Additionally, updates have smoothed out functionality for previously problematic features like camera settings, zooming functions, and the auto-tracking capability on a range of devices.
The app's compatibility with a wide array of smartphones and its pairability with different gimbals like the Crane 2 and Smooth Q highlight its versatility. Users enjoy features like vertigo effect, moving time-lapse, and joystick control, which enhance video production without the need to physically interact with the phone's screen. Even though some users face challenges with Bluetooth connectivity and firmware updates, the overall feedback underscores the app's contribution to mobile videography.
For ZY Play to solidify its position as a leading videography app, incorporating features like manual adjustment for horizontal alignment, automatic slow-moving barrel roll, and saving gimbal settings post-power cycle could offer a more holistic user experience. The specific requests for advanced video recording settings and improved auto features illustrate a users' desire for more professional videography capabilities in a mobile app.
Yes, ZY Play is designed to work across a range of iOS and Android devices, though performance and functionality may vary based on the device model and operating system version.
While primarily designed for Zhiyun gimbals, users have successfully connected ZY Play with similar devices like the EVO Shift gimbal, indicating some level of cross-compatibility.
ZY Play offers 4K video recording support for selected devices. However, users have requested broader support and enhancements to video bitrate for higher quality recording.
The ZY Play development team has shown responsiveness to user feedback through frequent app updates aimed at fixing bugs and incorporating requested features to improve the app.
Commonly reported issues include device-specific software stability, Bluetooth connectivity, and limitations in advanced video functionality like auto focus and tracking. However, ongoing updates continue to address these concerns.
ZY Play is primarily a mobile app designed for smartphones. However, you can run ZY Play on your computer using an Android emulator. An Android emulator allows you to run Android apps on your PC. Here's how to install ZY Play on your PC using Android emuator:
Visit any Android emulator website. Download the latest version of Android emulator compatible with your operating system (Windows or macOS). Install Android emulator by following the on-screen instructions.
Launch Android emulator and complete the initial setup, including signing in with your Google account.
Inside Android emulator, open the Google Play Store (it's like the Android Play Store) and search for "ZY Play."Click on the ZY Play app, and then click the "Install" button to download and install ZY Play.
You can also download the APK from this page and install ZY Play without Google Play Store.
You can now use ZY Play on your PC within the Anroid emulator. Keep in mind that it will look and feel like the mobile app, so you'll navigate using a mouse and keyboard.