Unistellar has released a major update (version 5.0.0) of the UNISTELLAR App for its smart telescopes. Concurrently, the company released firmware version 4.3.5 for the telescopes. Details regarding the update have been published by Unistellar in the official changelog. The update release date is July 15, 2026.
The main change is the app's completely redesigned interface. Observation management is now more focused on the direct exploration of the sky.
A planetarium has been added to the app.
One of the key new features is a celestial planetarium—that is, a planetarium displaying a map of the starry sky.
A user can open a sky map on a smartphone or tablet, view objects from the catalog, and correlate their position on the screen with what is directly overhead. The catalog displays stars, galaxies, nebulae, and other objects.
In addition, Unistellar has included a terrestrial planetarium. It helps with orientation relative to the surrounding environment and the observer's position.
This is particularly interesting for a beginner: instead of trying to figure out the star map on their own, they can use the app as an interactive assistant.
Selected properties
The Favorites feature was introduced in version 5.0.
Users can save objects of interest to their favorites for quick access during future observations. The app also now includes lists for planning observations.
It is a small change, but for someone who regularly uses a telescope, it can be far more useful than yet another technical feature.
Picture-in-Picture
Another new feature is Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode.
During observation, a small floating window displaying the image remains on top of the application interface. This allows you to use other controls while continuing to view the image from the telescope.
We updated more than just the app.
An important point: version 5.0.0 includes more than just interface changes.
Unistellar has simultaneously released firmware version 4.3.5 for its telescopes. This update fixes an autofocus issue on the Odyssey model that could sometimes interfere with successful telescope orientation. It also adds tracking during Odyssey autofocus to keep the object centered.
In addition, the manufacturer announced improved stability for the Enhanced Vision mode, better GoTo performance when targeting the Moon, and faster file downloads. An issue where some downloaded files could be saved with a size of 0 KB has also been fixed.
Support for new devices
Version 5.0 also added support for ENVISION Smart Binoculars—Unistellar’s smart binoculars. This demonstrates that the company is gradually transforming the app into a unified software platform for its observation devices.
Who is this update for?
The main advantage of version 5.0 is not an improvement in the telescope's technical specifications, but an enhanced experience for the average user.
- interactive planetarium;
- a map of celestial objects;
- ground-based planetarium;
- selected objects;
- a list for future observations;
- Picture-in-Picture;
- a more intuitive interface;
- improved telescope connection;
- Odyssey autofocus fixes;
- improved Enhanced Vision stability.
The app is specifically designed for Android and iOS smartphones and tablets. Unistellar specifies minimum requirements: Android 10 or iOS 18.
Is this a new telescope model?
No. Unistellar did not unveil a new telescope on July 15. It is a major software update: UNISTELLAR App 5.0.0 + firmware 4.3.5.
Currently, Unistellar's lineup includes the Odyssey / Odyssey Pro, eVscope 2, and eQuinox 2, while the app serves as a tool for controlling the connected telescopes.
Source: unistellar.com
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