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

[sam_dean]

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

Would this work?

The Ventura feature still works regardless of how the iPhone is mounted.

The Belkin mount is just an accessory to mount it on the top of a computer display.

 

[t0rqx]

Lot of people saying to not apply a case on your Macbook because wear of hinges. But this including the iPhone is massive mass. It’s like The Rock clinging on a baby.

 

[HorstBockman]

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

Would this work?

Yup, but not as convenient, especially while traveling.

 

[Kissmo1980]

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.

yep - agreed.
Overall, it's a nice thing in the beginning - to be honest, I used it a couple of times on an improvised tripod

I always fall back to the convenience of having the integrated camera from the laptop or the brio already mounted and 1 pulg-away.

In the end, everyone has quite crappy cameras during the video calls. I believe high quality conferencing cameras should be a standard nowadays...
While I appreciate Apple's gesture here, I don't fancy using a device which costs 1600 EUR (iPhone 14 Pro Max) as a webcam.
I am waiting for someone to raise the bar here in terms of the sensors and not do video processing gimmicks or attach a phone to the back of the laptop.
If you think about it - it sounds weird, doesn't it?

 

[JPack]

Paying $30 to put a 8.5 oz (240 g) weight on my notebook lid?

No thanks.

 

[BeatCrazy]

yep - agreed.
Overall, it's a nice thing in the beginning - to be honest, I used it a couple of times on an improvised tripod

I always fall back to the convenience of having the integrated camera from the laptop or the brio already mounted and 1 pulg-away.

In the end, everyone has quite crappy cameras during the video calls. I believe high quality conferencing cameras should be a standard nowadays...
While I appreciate Apple's gesture here, I don't fancy using a device which costs 1600 EUR (iPhone 14 Pro Max) as a webcam.
I am waiting for someone to raise the bar here in terms of the sensors and not do video processing gimmicks or attach a phone to the back of the laptop.
If you think about it - it sounds weird, doesn't it?

Yeah I can't justify an entirely separate iPhone to be my webcam, even though I'm on camera for several hours a day.

I've been very tempted by the Opal Camera, and even got an invite a while ago. But if it's not substantially better than the Brio 4K (and probably not as a good as an iPhone via Continuity camera), it's a pretty expensive experiment at $300 USD.

 

[Born2Run]

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

I answer my phone on my Apple Watch, iPad Pro or desktop!

 

[Unity451]

I feel like we're going backwards here...

 

[Kissmo1980]

Yeah I can't justify an entirely separate iPhone to be my webcam, even though I'm on camera for several hours a day.

I've been very tempted by the Opal Camera, and even got an invite a while ago. But if it's not substantially better than the Brio 4K (and probably not as a good as an iPhone via Continuity camera), it's a pretty expensive experiment at $300 USD.

Yeah I agree.
I bought the Brio 4K because I switch from Mac to Windows and I liked the Windows Hello Support (I'm lazy A$$ to type passwords all the time ) and... it's cheaper.

 

[roland.g]

Have an LG Ultrawide for my Mac Studio. I don't need this for a laptop which has a camera but for a screen that does not. Fix that problem first. I think I'll just have my kid design and 3D print a solution for my monitor.

 

[eperitus]

It says for Notebooks, but does this fit properly to the top of the LG 24" Ultrafine monitor and/or the Apple Studio Display 27"?

Update: I saw in another thread that Belkin is making a separate (yet unreleased) product for monitor use.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Just use duct tape.

Sad that we've gone BACK to the original iSight camera concept/product use case after 12 yrs.

 

[Kissmo1980]

Paying $30 to put a 8.5 oz (240 g) weight on my notebook lid?

No thanks.

People might pay so others can look at their hands and crotch with the desk view.
Well depends on what kind of conferences one is involved... 😂

Imagine with this work from home when people wear only shirts during conferences and Adam's suit downwards.
It will make for some spicy meetings.

 

[Ceecephous]

How am i supposed to mount a heavy 13pro on my m1 macbook air with that thin bezel??

 

[Gudi]

I mean it's not completely stupid trying to use the iPhone's advanced camera system as a webcam. But it's also something I would laugh at, if Windows was doing this.

 

[Gaprofitt]

This is beyond stupid..

 

[abowlby]

With desk view/wide-angle Omegle will never be the same.

 

[abowlby]

This is beyond stupid..

If only there were a way to not use it.

 

[Jeff Kirvin]

How am i supposed to mount a heavy 13pro on my m1 macbook air with that thin bezel??

It doesn’t work well. I have a third party version of this, and my 14 Pro Max pulls the screen of my M2 Air all the way back if I don’t have the screen basically vertical.

 

[btrach144]

Can I use this on an Intel Mac? (2017 27" iMac)

 

[FHoff]

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.

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

I suppose those do make a bit more sense. Just seems like a step backwards.

 

[Mr. Dee]

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

Get a selfie stick you can also use as a stand and put it behind the MacBook Pro.

 

[Gobeatty]

I made one months ago out of legos. I used a rubber band to keep it together and is has room for a MagSafe charger behind the iPhone.

Challenge is the weight of the iPhone means the computer screen can’t be a much of an angle or it falls.

 

[BeatCrazy]

I suppose those do make a bit more sense. Just seems like a step backwards.

Like Apple said in their keynote, peoples' iPhone cameras are usually the best camera they own. At least we now have an 'officially supported' way to use that for a real-world use case (video calls).

 

[coolbreeze2]

I will get one if I don't upgrade my 3rd Gen iPad Pro because the camera in my 14 Pro Max is far better than the camera in the iPad. However, isn't the camera in the 14 Pro Max identical to the camera in the new iPad Pro?