Apple with macOS Ventura and iOS 16 introduced a new feature called Continuity Camera, which is designed to allow you to use an iPhone as a webcam for your Mac. This is enabled through special mounts, and Apple partnered with Belkin for an official Continuity Camera accessory.
The Belkin iPhone Mount with MagSafe for Mac Notebooks is available from Apple for $30, though it's backordered until December and difficult to get. It's the only official Continuity Camera mount so far, though you can find some knockoffs and other versions on Amazon.
Belkin's mount basically attaches to an iPhone using MagSafe, and then a lipped stand on the back folds out. The stand fits right over the edge of a Mac notebook like a MacBook Pro or a MacBook air, and it puts the iPhone in the ideal position to capture video.
You can use the mount in landscape or portrait orientation, with portrait showing a bit less of the background behind you. The camera activates automatically when your iPhone is mounted to your Mac and an app like FaceTime is opened up.
It's a super simple accessory that's probably overpriced, but it does work well. The iPhone camera is leagues better than what you get on a Mac, even Apple's newest Macs, so it's worth it if you do a lot of video calls.
Continuity Camera has extra features like Center Stage support to keep you in frame if you move around, Portrait Mode for blurring the background, Studio Light for focusing the light on you, and a Desk View that shows what's on your desktop by taking advantage of the Ultra Wide camera.
You can also use the Belkin mount as a kickstand for the iPhone when it's not attached to the Mac, and it also serves as a PopSocket alternative.
Have you tried the Belkin iPhone Mount and Continuity Camera? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
