Every February in Las Vegas, over 5,000 photo booth owners, DJs, event planners, experiential marketers, and tech innovators travel thousands of miles from around the world to attend Photo Booth Expo (PBX). This year was its 10th anniversary at the South Point Hotel Casino & Spa.

The photo booth industry continues to evolve rapidly, making PBX a great opportunity to see the latest trends, products, and innovations. Plus, there are always lots of floor specials from vendors to make the trip worth it!

But if you weren’t able to attend this year, have no fear! Simple Booth sent our marketing team to walk the PBX 2025 trade show floor, capture photos, and take notes on all the emerging trends in the photo booth industry. We’ve brought all these findings together and broke them down for you in this article.

So without further ado, here’s what we saw at PBX 2025:

  • Wooden photo booths
  • Robots and glam bots
  • Digital and print sharing
  • 360 photo booths
  • A growing ecosystem
  • iPad photo booths

TLDR: Watch the video

Wooden photo booths are having a moment

Vintage aesthetics are making a strong comeback. Many booths featured vintage wooden enclosures, blending nostalgia with modern technology. This trend taps into the popularity of warm, natural materials that evoke a classic, timeless feel.

Vintage wooden photo booths are back—with AI enhancements and modern lighting bringing a fresh twist to classic aesthetics.

Other retro-inspired styles were also on the rise, too. Film strip-style prints and old-school flash photography equipment were particularly popular, with vendors embracing nostalgia while still incorporating modern digital features.

Robots are taking over

Some of the busiest booths included SketchBot, which transform photos into digital sketches or hand-drawn-style artwork, and the official Glambot, a high-speed robotic arm capturing dramatic video effects reminiscent of Hollywood red carpet activations.

Robots ranged from full-body designs with large interactive screens to high-speed robotic arms performing precise tasks.

Automation and robotics certainly can add a “wow” factor to any event, but they can also be complicated to operate and expensive to own.

Digital, prints, 3D, and mosaics

Digital sharing continues to grow in popularity, and prints are still kicking. Several major printing vendors were present at PBX and many photo booth software providers were eager to show how their software connects to printers.

Wired printing solutions that plug into an iPad were the #1 choice, including the AirCast Pro and DNP WCMPlus.

Various vendors showcased a diverse array of print options.

Like many other facets of the photo booth industry, we’re seeing a proliferation in features and options. Printing doesn’t just have to be on paper anymore—it can be on cookies, cupcakes, lattes, or even 3D keepsakes!

Captured photos were intricately etched onto glass figures with custom engravings.

Photo mosaics also continue to have a presence, available both digitally or physically where you hang each print in a designated spot—great for big immersive exhibits or experiences.

Printed photo mosaics were carefully assembled, with each photo assigned a number to ensure precise placement.

Although it’s nice to walk away with a tangible keepsake, we were disappointed with the quality of many 2D prints—even from booths that appeared to use DSLR cameras instead of tablets. We can’t explain why, but it felt like physical takeaways should be higher quality.

The move to 3D could is interesting, but it remains to be seen if it will resonate with photo booth customers in the long term. And no doubt the media costs are a pretty penny!

360 booths seem to have peaked

Two years ago, 360 photo booths, complete with platforms for small groups to stand on and rotating arms that swing around to record slow-motion videos, were all over the trade show floor. People were excited about them and expanding their business by adding these units.

This year, we probably saw more 360 photo booths walking down the Vegas strip than we saw actually on the PBX trade show floor.

Despite some new 360 solutions like the Tortilla from PBSCO, the presence of 360 booths at PBX decreased notably. This may be because they were competing for space against other novel attractions like “glam bot” and AI software features or perhaps the fad is truly fading.

For the 360 booths that were set up at PBX, there weren’t many crowds gathered to see them in action this year. They no longer feel like the “next big thing.”

Many brands and businesses seem to be searching for the next innovation beyond the 360 experience.

The 360 photo booth exhibits were quieter than expected compared to previous expo years.

The ecosystem is growing

Let’s be clear, there were a lot of photo booths at PBX 2025.

But there were also a lot of companies offering tools to help run a photo booth business. Vendors included booking software, to props and template designers, support providers, insurance, and even a photo booth podcast recording live.

From booking services and props to support, insurance, templates, and live radio coverage, the expo offered a comprehensive range of resources.

AI photo booths have potential… but it’s early

AI-powered photo and video experiences were everywhere, but they didn’t always hit the mark.

Common issues we noticed:

  • Some AI filters felt gimmicky—more like a “head-in-a-hole” template than truly immersive experiences.
  • AI-generated often altered skin tones, body proportions, and features so much that the final result barely looks like the same person. We witnessed one woman with a darker complexion test an AI photo booth feature from a certain vendor (who shall remain nameless) and was transformed into a white cartoon version of herself. We can’t say for sure what look she was going for, but we’d imagine… not that. In her words, “It was weird.”
  • Processing times were slow—one AI booth took 1.5 minutes per image, which felt like forever in a fast-paced event setting.
The UI had a lot to offer, though at times it wasn’t immediately clear how to navigate or what to do next.
Before-and-after photo showcasing AI enhancements—while some results varied, they were still fun and entertaining.

AI-powered effects were everywhere, though in our experience, none felt truly seamless or ready for mass-market sharing just yet, with most still having a ‘beta’ feel.

While the technology is evolving, the industry still has work to do in making AI-generated content feel more natural and compelling.

iPad photo booths are everywhere

Ever since Simple Booth released our first photo booth apps for iPad, iPads have become the #1 choice for photo booths, whether using the iPad camera for simplicity or a DSLR for the best quality.

This was clearer than ever at PBX 2025.

Almost every vendor that makes photo booths had an iPad photo booth on display.

iPad photo booths as far as the eye can see.

One exception was TouchPix, which has branched out to cross-platform support for Linux and Raspberry Pi. This opens up intriguing possibilities, but whether it catches on is yet to be seen.

Touchpix showcasing new cross-platform features and wired solutions.

What we didn’t see at PBX 2025

The Photo Booth Expo was a hub of energy and innovation, showcasing everything from glam robot arms to AI software features, and an ocean of iPad photo booths. Many vendors clearly poured their hearts into new concepts, though we did notice some recurring challenges.

A handful of booths still had a “DIY” feel, with visible seams, tangled cables, and materials that might show wear over time. With more clients asking for photo booths as statement pieces—whether at weddings, corporate events, or experiential activations—attention to build quality and aesthetics can make or break the perceived value.

Lighting was another area that left room for improvement. In an age when everyone’s first instinct is to share photos on social media, subpar lighting can result in images that fail to capture the moment. Some booths relied on underpowered LEDs or poorly diffused light, while even models boasting DSLR cameras at times missed exposure settings. The difference between an amateurish, washed-out photo and a crisp, well-lit image can directly influence how likely people are to share—and remember—the experience.

That’s one reason Simple Booth HALO® stands out. It was designed with an anodized aluminum body for greater durability, so it looks professional at events and survives countless transports. The integrated ring light provides consistent, flattering illumination, and each unit is crafted to be easily transportable and quick to assemble. In a market that balances speed, reliability, and polished results, HALO continues to deliver a robust solution that event professionals can set up with confidence.

By prioritizing factors like build quality, portability, and superior LED lighting, our team strives to push the industry toward better solutions that match both the creative vision of photo booth owners and the high expectations of modern consumers.

Simple Booth’s last exhibit at PBX made a big splash, featuring HALO alongside a Tesla, a VW bus, and even a bathtub filled with ping pong balls.

Tying it all together

The post-COVID era has brought an explosion of features, options, and variations to the photo booth industry. From 360 photo booths and AI-driven experiences to glam booths, sketch bots, and beyond, innovation continues to redefine how we capture moments.

As new ways to create photos and videos emerge, the industry keeps evolving, opening doors for fresh players and niche businesses alike—and we’re excited to be part of that journey.

The Simple Booth team left PBX 2025 with fresh ideas and valuable insights, and we hope this article left you with a few as well!

Ready to level up your marketing, kickstart your business, or throw a party that people won’t stop talking about?

Get HALO