Belkin makes the MagSafe iPhone mount for desktop owners who want a better webcam

Enlarge / An iPhone 13 Pro stuck to Belkin's MagSafe camera mount Belkin for laptops. The desktop version works the same way, but with a different design for thicker screens. Andrew Cunningham

The Continuity Camera feature was a highlight of the macOS Ventura update: any Mac can now use any compatible iPhone as a webcam via Lightning cable or wireless connection. And any iPhone camera is a significant upgrade over the 720p and 1080p webcams that come with iMacs and most 1080p desktop webcams from Logitech, Microsoft, and Razer (for owners of Mac mini and Pro with no integrated webcam).

The problem is finding a place to put your iPhone while you try to use it as a camera. Belkin made a MagSafe mount that could quickly secure an iPhone to the top edge of a MacBook, but the retention clip is too narrow to use with most desktop monitors. A new version of the stand, announced today, has been created with a wider base and a sort of kickstand to help it fit on most desktop monitors.

Enlarge / The Belkin MagSafe iPhone Stand for Desktops has a thicker base that rests on top of monitors, along with a kickstand that holds it against the back of your screen. Belkin

As of this writing, the Belkin iPhone Stand (Magsafe Compatible) for Mac desktops is listed on Apple's site for $29.95, although a Belkin representative informed us that the correct price was $39.95. Product photos show him sitting astride a Studio Display, which includes a front-facing camera similar to the one Apple includes in iPads, but image quality was mixed.

As a MagSafe accessory, the Belkin Mount will only work with a subset of iPhones that support the Continuity Camera feature. MagSafe is included in all iPhone 12, iPhone 13, and iPhone 14 models (Pro, mini, Max, and others), while Continuity Camera works with phones as old as the iPhone XR from 2018. To support Continuity Camera, your Mac must be running macOS Ventura and your phone must be running iOS 16.0 or later.