Belkin has unveiled a new wireless charging dock that does a neat trick: It can swivel and tilt to track you as you move around a room. According to the company, the Auto-Tracking Stand Pro is the first device to take advantage of Apple’s DockKit framework, which allows it to connect directly to an iPhone without the need for third-party apps.
The Stand Pro uses motorization to rotate 360 degrees around the base while tilting up to 90 degrees on the MagSafe arm. Once connected to an iPhone 12 or newer, it pairs with the base via NFC and works with any camera app, including FaceTime, Instagram, and Microsoft Teams. Then, when you’re on a conference call or using social media, it automatically moves the phone to keep you in the frame – just like DJI’s Osmo Pocket 3.
Oh, and it’s also a charger, supporting up to 15 watts of wireless fast charging when plugged into the wall (it can also run on battery power for about 5 hours). Tracking can be easily deactivated via a button so it doesn’t follow you around like a maniac when you just want to charge, and an LED shows whether tracking is currently active.
As my colleague Richard Lai points out, the $175 Stand Pro isn’t the first powered tracker, and it’s certainly not the cheapest. However, Belkin claims it is the first to integrate Apple’s DockKit Developer SDK, so we may see similar products in the future. The product is now available in Belkin stores, but there’s no word on availability yet.
Belkin also launched a number of other chargers at CES 2024. One that’s bound to be popular is the $150 BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Magnetic Stand (available now), which upgrades to the latest Qi2 charging standard. Like previous versions, it lets you charge an iPhone, Watch Series 7 or later, and wireless headphones at the same time. The company also launched its new BoostCharge Pro magnetic power bank with Qi2 technology, starting at $40 for the 2,500 mAh version.
This article was originally published on Engadget: https://www.engadget.com/belkins-stand-pro-iphone-dock-uses-apples-dockkit-to-track-you-around-a-room-095605017.html?src= rss
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