Apple Begins Selling Belkin Mount for Using an iPhone as a Mac's Webcam

[MacRumors]

macOS Ventura has a new Continuity Camera feature that allows an iPhone to be used as a Mac's webcam. Ahead of the public release of macOS Ventura next week, Apple has started selling Belkin's new iPhone mount designed for use with Continuity Camera.

Priced at $29.95 on Apple's online store, the mount attaches to the iPhone with MagSafe and can then be affixed to the top lid of a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro for use with Continuity Camera. When not connected to a Mac, the mount doubles as a kickstand for the iPhone with a built-in ring for easy gripping, similar to PopSockets.

Available in black or white, the mount attaches to a Mac with no special tools required and allows the iPhone to be used in portrait or landscape orientations. The mount can be purchased from Apple's online store and at select Apple retail stores worldwide.

Belkin says a version of the mount for Mac desktops and Apple displays will be coming soon.

Article Link: Apple Begins Selling Belkin Mount for Using an iPhone as a Mac's Webcam

 

[Simon89]

Has anyone got a 3D printable equivalent which doesn’t need to use MagSafe?

 

[velocityg4]

Has anyone got a 3D printable equivalent which doesn’t need to use MagSafe?

Just use duct tape.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Why limit this to macOS? It seems like an ideal thing to include with tvOS too. Mount for TV working with AppleTV would deliver the popular want of FaceTime on the biggest screen in the house.

 

[mansplains]

Has anyone got a 3D printable equivalent which doesn’t need to use MagSafe?

I'd be interested in one that does use MagSafe, gluing little magnets into the printed assembly...

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

I'm afraid it's going to scratch my Macbook Pro. Too afraid to use it no matter what materials Belkin Mount is using.

 

[Graphikos]

Has anyone got a 3D printable equivalent which doesn’t need to use MagSafe?

Search Thingiverse - Thingiverse

Download files and build them with your 3D printer, laser cutter, or CNC. Thingiverse is a universe of things.

www.thingiverse.com

 

[fwmireault]

Ordered! I tried continuity camera during the beta and was impressed by the difference in quality

 

[sorgo †]

Just use duct tape.

You’re mounting it wrong…

 

[Kissmo1980]

Ordered! I tried continuity camera during the beta and was impressed by the difference in quality

I also used it and it's a million times better than a Logitech Brio 4K.

Belkin does pretty good stuff but considering the prices in Europe, right now, it's a no buy for me.

 

[velocityg4]

I'm actually a little curious about this. Not the Belkin mount per se. But using a phone as a webcam. Considering how much nicer phone cameras are than your typical webcam. It seems to me that an old iPhone or Android would make for an epic webcam. Unless you went nuts and turned an old DSLR into a webcam.

I've thought of doing this with my Pixel XL or Pixel 3. Then I'd just have to stop working for myself by myself. Get a job with remote work. To have a reason to use it. Sounds like a solid plan for a career change.

 

[appleguy123]

Wow $30 is actually way more expensive than I thought this magnet would be. May end up DIYing something.

 

[mattopotamus]

Would love this for an external monitor, but doesn't seem like the attachment would actually go around most screens.

 

[CalMin]

It's all fun and games until my phone rings. ‍️

 

[MacFan782040]

Need one for the Studio Display ASAP. That’s Apple’s worst webcam!!

 

[Eldaerenth Faexidor]

Duct tape works fine too!

 

[FHoff]

I just don’t get the purpose of doing this. Use the camera built in to the Mac or use your iPhone. This attaching the phone to the Mac seems silly.

 

[MLVC]

Let me know when I can use this on my LG screen for my Mac Studio. My MBP has a cam, don't see the need of this for that device.

 

[jamisonbaines]

Why limit this to macOS? It seems like an ideal thing to include with tvOS too. Mount for TV working with AppleTV would deliver the popular want of FaceTime on the biggest screen in the house.

That's a good idea. Personally I would never use this on Mac but on AppleTV it'd be a possibility.

 

[BeatCrazy]

I also used it and it's a million times better than a Logitech Brio 4K.

Belkin does pretty good stuff but considering the prices in Europe, right now, it's a no buy for me.

I also use the Brio 4K, I think the quality is 'decent' but still rather noisy. The nice thing is that my Brio is semi-permanently mounted. I'm not sure how much of a pain it will be to messing around taking the iPhone on/off a fixed monitor.

I'm intrigued by the Continuity camera concept, but that mount doesn't look like it will fit on top of the Apple Studio Display.

Maybe this is better suited for mostly-MacBook users on-the-go that want a nicer webcam, then they put the phone back in their pocket when done? I'd want the quality and macOS convenience in something that was essentially permanently mounted on a monitor.

 

[BeatCrazy]

I just don’t get the purpose of doing this. Use the camera built in to the Mac or use your iPhone. This attaching the phone to the Mac seems silly.

The built-in cameras on most Macs (save the 14/16 MacBook Pros) are pretty much garbage.

And you can't really use your phone as the main camera/device for work-related things. People (or you!) are presenting material, you can really use your phone and stay on camera.

For work purposes, if you're using a bad camera, it's essentially a sign of unprofessionalism. Given the poor lighting of most peoples' home office set-ups, people need all the help they can get out of their camera.

 

[fwmireault]

Why limit this to macOS? It seems like an ideal thing to include with tvOS too. Mount for TV working with AppleTV would deliver the popular want of FaceTime on the biggest screen in the house.

I feel like it would be useful too on iPadOS. This would offer both a better camera quality and a landscape option for iPads Pro and Air that are still in portait mode. I guess the challenge is to find a way to somehow attach securely the iPhone on the iPad

 

[manofthematch]

Why not use a cheap tripod instead? It's way more flexible.

Would this work?

 

[sam_dean]

Makes you wish Apple did this all way back in 2007 iPhone 2G.

 

[HorstBockman]

I just don’t get the purpose of doing this. Use the camera built in to the Mac or use your iPhone. This attaching the phone to the Mac seems silly.

iPhone cameras are far higher quality and you can use subject tracking to stay centered as you move around.