CNN Underscored is on the ground at CES 2024 in Las Vegas to pick out the tech products that are actually worth your attention. Be sure to follow our CES 2024 coverage hub for the latest hands-on previews straight from the world’s biggest electronics show.
Watching people shoot video on the CES 2024 show floor, it was plain as day how annoying filming oneself can get. Constantly futzing with framing and such gets plenty annoying, and Belkin’s in seeming agreement with me on that. Its new Auto-Tracking Stand Pro is the cameraperson you didn’t know you needed — at least if you own an iPhone.
Tired of making sure you’re in your own shot while recording video? This iPhone stand makes it super easy and does all the work for you. It even rotates 360 degrees. Belkin says it’ll start taking preorders on this gadget later this month.
The first accessory compatible with Apple’s DockKit technology, the $180 Auto-Tracking Stand Pro is a MagSafe-enabled iPhone stand that can track you (and others) with your phone’s cameras. After pairing your iPhone to the stand once, you pop it on the MagSafe puck (where it will “nod” up and down) and it will start following you.
The Stand Pro rotates 360 degrees, so it can follow you in whatever room you’ve deemed fit for shooting, and it even tilts 90 degrees, so I could pop a squat. And while the first demo I got with the Stand Pro was primarily focused on the front-facing selfie camera, I later learned the rear cameras work with DockKit as well. All you need to do is tap the button to switch cameras and your iPhone will rotate around on the stand so the better cameras can see you.
All the while, the Stand Pro operates silently so it doesn’t interfere with your video recording. All it requires is an iPhone 12 or later (for MagSafe compatibility), and don’t worry about app compatibility, it works with the cameras in every iOS app. So, whether you need to be following on a Zoom or you’re making footage for Instagram, you’re covered. Its internal battery offers five hours of juice on a single charge, so it’s also fit for the field.
The takeaway
If you’re as excited as I bet you will be, know that Belkin reps told CNN Underscored that the Auto-Tracking Stand Pro will be available “very soon.” And since it’s built on Apple’s own DockKit tech, you can feel more confident that this feature will be supported by the Cupertino-based tech titan for years to come. We look forward to filming lots of auto-tracked video once this unique stand launches, so stay tuned for more.
