Phonitor

Turn old iPhone or iPad into a security camera

167 followers

Turn old iPhone or iPad into a security camera

167 followers

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Camera apps

•

Security software

Turn your spare iPhone or iPad into a security camera, and view the live and playback on your everyday iPhone.

Free Options

Launch tags:iOS•Home security•Webcam

Launch Team

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Phonitor

Maker

📌

Hi everyone! Super excited to finally launch Phonitor on ProductHunt! 🎉 Use just a spare iPhone or iPad as a camera, and view live or playback on your daily iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro! It’s perfect for keeping an eye on your home and office, or staying connected with your baby and pets! The idea actually hit me right before last year’s Apple Fall Event, when I was wondering, "What should I do with my old one?" Now, just in time for this year’s event, I'm bringing you Phonitor! It works as a webcam but goes further by prioritizing privacy 🔒. All essentials are synced via iCloud, and streams are securely established with P2P connections. Plus, all footage remains local, stored directly on your device for playback. With this solid foundation, even more exciting features are coming soon! Now Phonitor is available on the App Store with a 7-day free trial to unlock all feats. Hope this app helps you rekindle some love for your old iPhones! So, are you ready to switch to the iPhone 16? :P

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2yr ago

Phonitor

Maker

@atulkumarx Thank you so much! 🚀 I really appreciate your support!

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2yr ago

Stella AI

@chichizhang this is mindblowing, will give it a try to monitor a pet at home. Just a quick question how does it affects battery with always on camera? Or it turns on the camera only when we are asking for it?

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2yr ago

Phonitor

Maker

@prad_vv Hi Prad, thanks for the support! 🌟 To monitor and record continuously, the camera needs to stay on, which may drain the battery. However, Phonitor includes a Battery Saver Mode on camera device that can be activated automatically or manually. In this mode, the video display is turned off, and brightness is reduced to help minimize CPU and GPU usage, manage heat, and extend battery life. For extended monitoring, it’s recommended to keep the device plugged in. Hope it works great for keeping an eye on your pet! ❤️

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2yr ago

HarnessRouter

@chichizhang Congrats!

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2yr ago

VoiceCap

Thats awesome! What's the oldest version of the iPhone that this would work with? Got some old ones lying around... 😅

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2yr ago

Phonitor

Maker

@rokasjk thanks! Currently iOS 15 needed for some convenient components . I can as low as support iOS 13 if that’s not enough.

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2yr ago

Mailfox

Hey @chichizhang, this is a really cool use case for my old iPhone. No need to buy an expensive security cam for your home. What about the privacy aspect? Is there an option to keep the video data only on the device? Congrats on the launch 🚀

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2yr ago

Phonitor

Maker

@crebuh Hey thanks for the support 🚀! Yes privacy has been a key focus with Phonitor from the start—all video data stays local with no cloud storage involved. And that's the only option.

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2yr ago

InstaCharts

Phonitor looks great! What a good idea. I have a few old iPhones laying around, I will be installing this for sure. Congratulations on your launch!

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2yr ago

Phonitor

Maker

@insta_bart_howe thanks a lot! 🙌

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2yr ago

Clever repurposing of old devices. How's the video quality compared to dedicated security cameras? The privacy focus is a big plus. Curious about battery life on older iPhones and if there's a way to use it plugged in 24/7. Could be a great budget-friendly home security option. Wonder how it handles motion detection and alerts?

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2yr ago

Phonitor

Maker

@andyroamer Hi Andy! Thanks for your reply! iPhone can capture very high quality video, but considering the overall capability of older devices and bandwidth requirements, I’ve set the limit to 2K at 60fps, which should rival most dedicated security cameras. As for battery, you can keep the phone plugged in 24/7 for continuous use without issues. As for motion detection and alerts, I’m still working on it —using Apple’s on-device machine learning, ensuring no need to store footage in any cloud service.

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2yr ago

What is the minimum iPhone/iOS version required?

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2yr ago

Phonitor

Maker

@contrabourdon it's iOS15 for now, while iPhone 6s is the minimum version.

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2yr ago

Telebugs

Hey Chi, This is a clever way to give old devices new life! Do you plan to add any AI-powered features for motion detection or alerts in future updates? Congrats on the launch!

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2yr ago

Phonitor

Maker

@kyrylosilin Thanks for support! Yess I'm currently working on it. Plan to use Apple’s on-device ML to achieve that. 🚀

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2yr ago

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