Jesse Hollington / Digital Trends
One of the most interesting iPhone accessories to debut this year is one that would n’t have been possible without Apple sneaking a fresh feature into iOS 17 last fall . While there ’s no shortage of iPhone stands and mount on the market , Belkin ’s Stand Pro is something entirely dissimilar from the rest .
That ’s thanks to Apple’sDockKit . It ’s a fabric for supplement makers to make motorized stand that can follow you around the room . While the concept itself is n’t new , DockKit have in mind that such viewpoint can be significantly more low-cost as they do n’t need to compact in complex sensors . With DockKit , the iPhone does all the heavy lifting of project out where to taper itself .
Jesse Hollington / Digital Trends
Since Belkin has always enjoyed a close human relationship with Apple , we were n’t surprised when it wasfirst in line to debut a fresh DockKit stand at CES 2024 . At only $ 180 , Belkin ’s Auto - Tracking Stand Pro is a remarkably cheap gimmick , considering what it ’s equal to of . It could become out to be money well spend for content creators or anyone who likes to participate in picture calls while wandering around the room . I ’ve been play with this picayune outdoor stage over the retiring week or so , and if nothing else , it ’s a spate of play .
Setting it up
At about 8.5 inches high , Belkin ’s Stand Pro is slightly marvellous than most MagSafe stand since it needs to make some blank space for all the motor and other electronics pack into the al-Qa’ida . However , that also puts it at a slenderly better angle if you ’re using it on a desk , and the across-the-board and muscular 4.3 - in base makes it very hard to tumble over ( it tends to ricochet back into place like a roly - poly toy ) . There ’s also a received 1/4 - inch ribbon on the bottom for mounting it on a tripod .
The boxful includes the stand , a 5 - foot USB - C top executive cable’s length , and a USB - C powerfulness transcriber ( at least for the version sold in North America ) . The Stand Pro offers 15W MagSafe charge for your iPhone when plug in . An internal assault and battery can power the bandstand for up to five hours on a full charge , although it wo n’t send your iPhone . A single button on the front Lashkar-e-Tayyiba you change off the tracking function or power off the standstill entirely .
Setting up the Stand Pro was almost effortless , thanks to a built - in NFC tag on the infrastructure . I simply exploit my iPhone against the NFC logotype , and a contour silver screen popped up , similar to the one used for partner off AirPods or a HomePod . The Stand Pro communicates with your iPhone over Bluetooth ; NFC is used only to get that unconscious process last in the same way it ’s used formany wireless loudspeaker system .
The Belkin Stand Pro requiresiOS 17.2and aniPhone 12 or later role model . The hardware prerequisite does n’t come along to be a limitation of DockKit but rather the base ’s MagSafe fond regard .
You spin me right ‘round
Once the Stand Pro is pair with your iPhone , using it is straight . bob your iPhone onto the MagSafe mount , open up a video app such as the iPhone ’s built - in Camera app ( in picture fashion — still picture are n’t supported ) , and start walk around . The rack will follow you around the room , circumvolve and tilting as necessary to keep you in the frame .
Two LED on the front and back of the rotating part of the stand will scoot greenish when your iPhone is connected and in cross way . They ’ll turn substantial green when trailing is enable but dormant , such as when you ’re not running a compatible app or your iPhone screen is off . A single press of the push button at the front of the base will toggle trailing mode off , with the LEDs turning white to suggest that it ’s in standby style .
The 360 - arcdegree range of mountains of rotation mean you may place it at the essence of a tabular array and let it cut through you around the way . I paced around it in circles until I was giddy , and it pursue me without missing a beat . The Stand Pro move fast enough to keep up with a brisk walk ; it will endeavor to keep follow even if you move too quickly , but you ’ll drop most of the time out of the edge of the skeletal system .
The stand also provide 90 degrees of tilt , ranging from about 20 academic degree below the perpendicular to 70 degrees above , so the iPhone wo n’t lie totally horizontal .
Apple ’s DockKit handle the actual tracking , which has been thoughtfully designed to apply basic cheek recognition to limit who to postdate . A white-livered box appear around the case of the someone it ’s tracking , and it will effectively “ shut up in ” on that person , even when they ’re close up or briefly step out of the framing . It will attempt to keep multiple multitude in the inning as much as potential but prioritizes the someone it focalise on first . It will only pick another someone to focus on if the first one leaves the scene solely for more than a few seconds .
To void being unhinge , DockKit also does n’t stress to keep you centered in the skeletal system when it ’s stationary . Instead , the Stand Pro only originate go once you get confining to the edge , and that initial movement can be slightly sharp , particularly when reversing direction . However , it ’s unusually smooth once it gets decease and does keep you center as long as you ’re not moving too tight for it to keep up .
in conclusion , it ’s deserving mentioning that the Stand Pro can also be align manually , although Belkin commend only doing it with tracking mode disabled in vitrine the motor commence up while you ’re attempt to rotate or careen it .
Remarkably versatile
In many ways , DockKit feel like an outgrowth ofthe Center Stage feature Apple debuted on the iPad Pro a few long time ago . While the iPhone ’s front camera does n’t support Center Stage , DockKit also works with the rear tv camera , which can be paired with a Mac or Apple television receiver usingApple ’s Continuity Camera feature .
combine with full financial backing for third - party apps , this make the Stand Pro useful for many different things . I tested it with FaceTime and Zoom on the Apple TV and Microsoft Teams and Google Meet on my Mac , and it work out flawlessly in all cases — keeping me in the bod and following me as I worked at my desk or walked around the way . It even works withApple Music ’s Sing karaoke featureon the Apple TV , let your iPhone ’s television camera follow you around the room as you shake out to your favorite tunes .
Apps do n’t need to be specifically update to take advantage of DockKit . Apple has made it possible for developer to contribute DockKit - specific feature of speech to their apps to do such thing as dominance the motors directly , adjust get across focal ratio , and more . However , DockKit is uncommitted out of the box for any app that uses the iPhone ’s standard video features , admit Continuity Camera .
The downside is that DockKit and Center Stage appear to be mutually sole for now . Even if Center Stage is enable in Continuity Camera , it ’s disabled when the Stand Pro is in tracking mode . Apple does n’t mention this anywhere in its DockKit developer documentation , so it may be a bug or something that the company will turn to in a time to come iOS update , but as ofiOS 17.4 , it ’s one or the other .
The good intelligence is that you do n’t have to unmount your iPhone from the Stand Pro to use Center Stage ; just press the release on the front to disable tracking musical mode , and Center Stage will activate immediately . Sadly , there ’s no style to on-off switch trailing mode on or off remotely ; you ’ll need to take the air up to the Stand Pro to do it .
DockKit wo n’t get in the way of verify your iPhone camera remotely from your Apple Watch . you may get going and stop video transcription , toggle the flash , and control the zoom manually from your wrist . DockKit is smart enough to spin the stand 180 grade and track back in on you when you flip from the front camera to the fundament using the Camera Remote app on your scout . That ’s a clever mite that lets you start with a right selfie preview before switching to the better rearward photographic camera array , but it does n’t wreak when go in the other direction , alternate from the rear camera back to the front .
The Stand Pro is ideal for those who desire to use the rear camera in videos where standing still is n’t an option . The iPhone ’s rear camera offers significantly good timbre , but many folks are clearly reluctant to use it with a regular standpoint as it ’s near impossible to secernate if you ’re walking out of the frame . alternatively , they rely on the front camera , which can be much more distracting . The Stand Pro countenance you stop worry about whether you ’re in the frame and stay focused on what you ’re supposed to be doing or saying .
Portable production power
When plugged in on your desk or kitchen table , the Stand Pro does excellent double obligation as a stock MagSafe battery charger and place upright . However , the real beauty is that you may practice it to follow you around the room during a presentation or other creative endeavour in your home or office and take it with you on the go .
I ’ll allow that it ’s a bit ill-chosen to toss in a bag without fear of breaking the radical , and I found myself bid Belkin include a carrying case with it . However , it ’s not unmanageable at about 1.25 pound in weight , so you could easily take it on the route as long as you pack it properly .
The five - time of day battery life is Stand Pro ’s hidden power . In my testing , I found it easily exceeded that estimate , but I suspect that depend on how much you move around , as the motors are what soak up most of the power , and the iPhone does n’t point off the tie-up unless it ’s secure in . At the other extreme , the battery hold out for about two days of sitting unattended while powered on without an iPhone docked .
I opine Belkin is erring on the materialistic side here , but it ’s safe to say that there ’s shelling life to spare for just about anything you ’ll need to do with it . If you adjudicate to expend it to survey more vigorous activity , such as recording workout subprogram , you might terminate up slightly below the five - hour estimate . Still , it quickly charges up overnight , so most folks will have a arduous time run it dry .
The Stand Pro also works great as a multiuser machine since you’re able to pair a single rack with up to 16 iPhones . Pairing an additional iPhone is done the same way of life as the first one — tap it against the NFC logo and follow the instructions . DockKit is sassy enough only to establish the Bluetooth connection from an iPhone docked specifically to the Stand Pro , thanks to the same MagSafe handshake that allows features likeiOS 17 ’s StandByto discover case-by-case MagSafe brook .
While Belkin ’s Stand Pro is n’t something everyone will need or even have a use for , it ’s an ideal solution for those face with the challenge of conducting online merging or recording activities and presentations while moving around . Whether pacing around whiteboards , capturing terpsichore workout , or producing cooking display , the Stand Pro is a really affordable way to ensure you never wander out of the skeleton .
