During Apple's WWDC22 event they introduced the "continuity camera" feature that allows an iPhone to attach to a MacBook or an Apple display including an iMac or TV. Belkin was the main supplier of this accessory.

Yesterday the U.S. Patent Office published a patent application from Apple that relates to possible continuity camera accessory advancements being considered. The patent was filed in 2024, well after the original accessory was announced. So this is a new extension of the original concept.   

Apple's Patent Overview: An accessory device is designed to hold, by magnetic coupling, an electronic device and adjust one or more arms to support the electronic device on various objects. In one or more implementations, an accessory device includes one or more arms, each of which being capable of relative movement with each other. The arms of the accessory device can be moved to conform to the size, shape, and perimeter of various objects, thus allowing the accessory device to mount the electronic device on various objects. Moreover, once mounted on the object, the accessory device can further orient the electronic device such that either the camera(s) on the back of the electronic device faces a user (of the electronic device) or the display of the electronic device faces the user.

As shown in Apple's patent FIG. 1 below, an accessory device #100 is suitable for use with electronic devices, such iPhone and iPad devices. In one or more implementations, the accessory device can hold or carry an electronic device (not shown in FIG. 1). Moreover, the accessory device may be oriented in various manners, thus allowing the accessory device  to be mounted to various objects (e.g., laptop computing devices, displays, a TV, stationary objects, etc.) while holding an electronic device in a desired orientation.

The accessory device may include a device holder #102 that takes the form of a disc and further include a magnetic assembly #104 located in the device holder. The magnetic assembly may include one or more magnets arranged, in a circular or disc-like manner, to magnetically couple with an electronic device, and in particular, with a corresponding magnetic assembly of an electronic device.

The accessory device may further include a surface #105 designed to contact an iPhone or iPad while the magnetic assembly magnetically couples with a corresponding magnetic assembly of the electronic device as shown in FIG. 2. 

In Apple's patent FIG. 3 above, the arms of the accessory device may rotate away from each other. For example, in addition to arms #106a and #106b moving relative to each other, arm 106c may be coupled (e.g., rotationally coupled) to arm #106b, thus allowing rotational movement between arms #106b and #106c.

In Apple's patent FIGS. 4 and FIG. 5 above we see side views of an example accessory device coupled to an object and holding an electronic device. In FIG. 4 the accessory is attached to a MacBook or any Mac display #160. The accessory device may orient camera assembly #154 toward a user, thus allowing the user to record themselves in podcasts or FaceTime calls. In FIG. 5 the object #162 that the accessory is attached may may include any thick, or relatively thick, object.

Apple's patent FIG. 6 illustrates the accessory fitting in between two objects, like a pair of books on a bookshelf.

And lastly, in patent FIG. 8, Apple illustrates how the device could be attached to the bottom of an object such as a cupboard or closet in any room of the home.  

Apple's inventors include Mohammadali Parsian, Senior Lead Product Designer and oddly two Belkin employees: Oliver Seil, VP of Design at Belkin International and Paer Saangloef, a Senior Industrial Designer. Considering it's an Apple patent, it's difficult to understand why 2 Belkin employees are listed on this patent filing. Though it would strongly suggest that these new accessories may be in the works at Belkin.