Belkin Auto Tracking Stand Pro with DockKit review: Follow the leader

Macworld

At a glanceExpert's Rating
ProsEasy to installBuilt-in batteryMagSafe chargingConsPriceyOur VerdictThe Belkin Auto Tracking Stand Pro with DockKit follows you wherever you go (at least as long as you’re in the same room)–it keeps your face in focus. It works perfectly, from the smooth installation to the actual use.

The Belkin Auto Tracking Stand Pro is a motorized iPhone stand that can rotate 360 degrees. It can track your face and body (thus it’s not for the paranoid). So if you use your iPhone for FaceTime or the camera to record video of yourself, the Auto Tracking Stand Pro can be very useful by keeping you within the video frame.

It’s able to track your movements because the stand implements Apple’s DockKit, a framework that works with the iPhone to figure out how to frame items in the best position. You don’t need to do anything–just mount your iPhone on the Belkin stand, launch FaceTime, the Camera app, or any other app and it will figure out how to track you. According to Belkin, it should work with most video apps; I tested with Telegram, WhatsApp, and FaceTime. It worked fine.

There’s not a whole lot to do to set up the Belkin stand. All you have to do is unpack it, plug it in (adapter and a 1.5-meter USB-C cable included), switch it on, and then put your iPhone on the base of the stand to pair via NFC. You will then receive a message that everything is ready. It’s super easy.

Even when I go from sitting down to standing up, the stand follows my face with a faint buzzing sound as it turns. The magnet holding the phone can be angled 90 degrees. So it’s hard not to end up in the picture. If you prefer, you can use the iPhone’s main camera, which makes it handy if you’re a furious vlogger who can’t sit still.

Your phone also charges wirelessly when attached to the Belkin Auto Tracking Stand Pro. The built-in MagSafe charger delivers up to 15 watts. The stand also has a rechargeable battery that lasts around five hours–perfect for when you want to place the sand in an area that’s not near a power outlet, like in a garden or cleaning a room, for example.

Should you buy the Belkin Auto Tracking Stand Pro with DockKit?

The Belkin Auto Tracking Stand Pro with DockKit follows you wherever you go (at least as long as you’re in the same room)–it keeps your face in focus. It works perfectly, from the smooth installation to the actual use. It’s a handy device if you can’t still during FaceTime calls, or you want to record video while moving around.

This article originally appeared on Macworld Sweden and was translated by Roman Loyola.

Accessories, iPhone, Mobile Phone Accessories