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Continuity Camera could be the surprise star of iOS 16 and macOS Ventura
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Eyebrows were raised when Apple announced itsContinuity Camerafeature for iOS 16 andmacOS Venturaduring WWDC.
The third-party BelkinMagSafemount looked a little awkward and shall we say, un-Apple-like. Secondly, some folks pointed out that maybe we wouldn’t need to use an iPhone as a webcam if Apple put a little bit more stock into equipping MacBooks with better cameras.
However, in theory, deploying theiPhoneand its multi-purpose cameras as a webcam seems a good idea. Now, with the iOS and macOS betas out in the wild, a select few folks have been able to give Continuity Camera and a prototype version of Belkin’s MagSafe mount the hands-on treatment. As per videos posted by YouTubers Brian Tong, iJustine, and ZolloTech, the mount actually works pretty intuitively (viaMacRumors).
Obviously it attaches to the iPhone via the MagSafe connection and has a little pull-out flap to hook onto the MacBook’s bezel. The connection looks pretty secure, so it won’t fall off in the middle of an important meeting.
If you’ve done that correctly, the Mac will automatically connect to the iPhone’s camera next time you open an app that requires the webcam, like FaceTime. You’ll get an audio notification on the iPhone to let you know Continuity Camera is in action.
If you access the Control Centre you’ll be able to choose video effects like Centre Stage, which intelligently keeps the subject in the centre of the frame, while you can also select Portrait mode for a neat bokeh effect that blurs out the mess in the background.
Using your iPhone as a webcam with Belkin’s new MagSafe attachment is so easy.. Got a chance to test out an early version of it on iOS and Mac OS Ventura Betas. Desk view is also 🔥🙏🏻pic.twitter.com/Y1AZCS31oT
There’s also access to the Studio Light feature, while Desk View uses the Ultra Wide lens so you can show what’s happening on the desk in front of your Mac. It could be ideal for how-to videos.
With iOS 16 and macOS Ventura scheduled to arrive in the coming months, we’d expect the accessory to arrive in time for launch.
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Chris Smith is a freelance technology journalist for a host of UK tech publications, including Trusted Reviews. He’s based in South Florida, USA. …
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Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
