There’s a cool new feature in iOS 17 that lets you use your old Game Boy’s camera as a webcam. This is what it looks like!
iOS 17 recognizes external devices
iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 include a cool new feature that allows the operating system to recognize external devices connected via a USB cable. Apple has now switched to a USB-C connection for the iPad and the same is happening this year with the iPhone 15. With the new function, iPads and iPhones in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 can also recognize external cameras and webcams.
Also read: iPhone 15 with USB-C possibly even faster: also gets Thunderbolt
Until now, you were limited to the cameras of the device itself when making a video call on your iPhone or iPad. This will change with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, because you can then connect a camera or webcam to the device yourself. This way you can have a video call on FaceTime via a different camera than with the built-in lens. Federico Viticci has now done something really cool, he has connected his old Game Boy to the iPad as a webcam!
FaceTime via a Game Boy’s camera
The new feature in iPadOS 17 is simple. As soon as you connect an external device to the iPad, the tablet will automatically recognize the new device. This applies to cameras and webcams, but also to other devices such as a Nintendo Switch. This way you can also use the iPad as an external display of the Switch. The same applies to the Game Boy, which is also recognized by the iPad with iPadOS 17.
Federico Viticci decided to take it a step further and tried connecting the Game Boy’s camera to his iPad. Now that Apple has opened iPadOS to external devices, this appears to be indeed possible. With iPadOS 17 you can have a conversation on FaceTime via the camera of your old Game Boy!
And even better: the iPad even recognizes the hand gestures you make. From iPadOS 17 and iOS 17, animations are activated when you make certain gestures for the camera. Even that was possible during a video call on the iPad via the Game Boy’s camera.
Feature also coming to iPhone
Federico Viticci has only tried the function on the iPad, so we at least know for sure that iPadOS 17 recognizes external devices. It is expected that this will soon also be possible with the iPhone, as soon as the phone has a USB-C connection. The new function is also possible in iOS 17, but it does require a USB-C port.
Also read: Too bad: these new features in iOS 17 are not immediately available
With iOS 17 and the iPhone 15 you can probably finally connect an external webcam. We don’t have to wait much longer for the new software updates, because Apple will probably launch iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 shortly after the Wonderlust event. That’s not all, because Apple will even release six major updates in one day this year. Read here which ones they are, so you know exactly when you can install them!
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