Introduction
Automobile accidents are not uncommon to occur. In fact, there is a good chance that you’ve been involved in one at some point during your life. One way to protect yourself and your loved ones is by using an iPhone as a dashcam. A lot of people shy away from this solution because they think that if their phone breaks during the accident, it will provide crappy quality footage. However, there are apps dedicated to turning iPhones into dashcams, so you won’t have to worry about the maintenance of your phone or its weight in serious accidents.
This article will provide useful information on how to manage your iPhone as a dashcam.
Why Do You Need a Dash Cam?
The primary function of a car camera or dashcam is to record the road trip of each driver. A dashboard camera records video from your vehicle’s windshield and the front side windows. This type of video recording helps provide clear evidence in case of an accident. Dashcam also records any road rage incidents, car chases, kidnappings and other criminal activity.
Can iPhone Be Used as a Dashcam?
Yes, you can use iPhone as a dashcam. Many drivers prefer to use their iPhones for recording road trips because of their user-friendliness and portability. You don’t have to install any additional software or hardware. However, you must consider several factors before using your phone as a dashcam, such as durability, video quality, size and battery life.
A few years ago, cell phones were nothing more than a medium to make phone calls and text messages. As the technology advanced, cell phone manufacturers started adding in extra features. One of those features was high-quality camera apps. These apps have made it possible for people to take high-quality pictures and record videos using their phones.
The other app is the Smart Dashcam app. This app runs on the iPhone. Once installed, it can be used to record videos, monitor your car’s speed and distance, video trail of your ride and much more.
The Car Camera app is a convenient service that turns your iPhone into a dashcam. You can also use this app with any other dashcam and take advantage of its features, like recording footage automatically when you start the engine, or it will notify you if someone breaks into the car.
Car Camera also lets you protect your license plate from being recorded accidentally if you have another car coming close to the windshield for any adverse action.
Prominent Features of iPhone for Dashcams
1. High-Quality Camera
iPhones have a high-quality camera. They can record videos in full HD quality. You can also use the iPhone’s front-facing camera to shoot pictures and videos from your car’s front window.
2. Memory Capacity
iPhones come with memory capacities of 16GB and 256 GB. This provides ample storage for capturing videos and stills for different occasions and trips.
3. Fast Processors
iPhones have fast processors, which makes them a good dashcam option. People can use them to record videos and play them back in real-time. The app also allows you to loop or playback through the camera videos, so you don’t have to delete any video once it is recorded.
4. 24/7 Recording
People can use iPhones to record 24/7, as long as they have charged the phone before starting their trip. However, iPhone users have to make sure that they use a high-quality car charger. This will ensure that their phone does not get turned off while on the road.
5. GPS Tracker
People can use an iPhone to monitor the location of a vehicle. After installing the GPS tracker app, they’ll be able to see the car’s exact location on a map. This will also help them maintain a safe distance from other drivers.
6. Screen Display
Dashcams usually come with touchscreens. However, most phones have small screens that can be difficult to see. iPhones, on the other hand, come with large-screen displays. If you’re driving in the dark, you can easily turn on the phone’s backlight to see what you are recording.
How to Use a Smart Dash Cam App
To use the Smart Dashcam app, you only need to follow these simple steps.
1. Install and launch the app on your iPhone (you’ll need an active data connection).
2. Choose one of the following options to record video footage
Home – This option records continuous footage.
Loop – This option records video footage once and then closes the app.
3. Choose the following options to take pictures
Single-shot – takes a single image.
Burst mode – takes several images, each with a short interval of time between them.
4. You may also receive notifications from the app, and you can even toggle various settings using the Settings icon on your phone’s home screen when you are connected to a power source. Your iPhone will vibrate when you get new notifications from your phone.
5. To view your videos or pictures, go to the Settings icon and select Photos & Camera (for videos) or Albums (for pictures).
6. Now that you have found your video footage, you can perform the following actions
Share it through email.
Copy it.
Delete it.
7. You can also share images on social networking sites like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using this app.
Prominent Features of Smart Dash App
1. Live View – the app’s Live View feature automatically records videos and photos taken when you start the car’s engine. You can also set it to record on the loop mode continuously.
2. Video Quality – The video quality provides clear images since it uses High Definition 1080p resolution. It can even record images in low light conditions.
3. Night Mode – This mode is best suited for recording nighttime activities. You can select the period when you want to record, depending on the length of your trip.
4. Capability to record – the Smart Dashcam App can record both video and audio. It supports user-generated subtitles. You can also share videos on social networking sites after saving them in your phone’s memory.
5. Support for both front and rear-view cameras – The app supports iPhones with front and rear-facing cameras.
6. Ability to download videos recorded using the app – You can easily download your video footage from the app’s online storage space.
7. Live tracking of car velocity and distance covered – You can choose to get information about your car’s speed and distance covered on the screen while recording video footage using this feature.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Using iPhone as a Dashcam
There are numerous advantages and disadvantages of using an iPhone as a Dashcam. Some of them are listed below:
Benefits of Using an iPhone as a Dashcam
1. Easy to use – iPhones are easy to use as Dashcam devices. All you need to do is install the app and record videos. Modern iPhones also come with large-screen displays that make them even easier to use.
2. Convenience – Although iPhones are relatively easy to use for this purpose, you will find difficulty installing hard-wired dashcams on your iPhone. Many dashcam devices come with complex installation procedures, which require technical knowledge.
3. Effective Storage – iPhones have high memory capacities, which provide plenty of storage space for your video footage. You can also store other things like confidential documents and personal photos on them.
4. Reliability – iPhones are extremely reliable when used as dashcams. This is because they have proven to be durable and more resistant to the elements. People can use them to record video footage even in extreme temperatures.
5. Cost-effective – Dashcam devices usually cost more than iPhones, but the iPhone is actually cheaper to use as a dashcam device. It also uses less energy due to its low-power processors.
Disadvantages Using an iPhone as a Dashcam
However, some of the disadvantages of using an iPhone to record a trip are as follows:
1. Slow and small displays – iPhones have small screens that are difficult to see in low light conditions. Also, they have limited speeds, which can hinder users from sharing their videos on social networking sites.
2. Limited Video Recording Time – iPhones cannot record long-duration videos since they use smaller battery chargers, which deteriorate quickly. People should make sure they use high-quality smart chargers to overcome this problem.
3. High Operating Cost – As mentioned earlier, iPhones use data plans to transmit live video footage. These plans can be expensive and may be out of the budget for users who want to use them with a dashcam.
4. Vulnerable to damage – Since modern iPhones are usually made up of glass and plastic, they can crack easily. They can also break when dropped. However, a protective screen over the touchscreen can help the phone sustain minor impacts.
Conclusion
You can record videos using the iPhone’s rear-facing camera or use your iPhone as a dashcam. You can also use it to track the location of a car by using GPS tracker apps. The Smart Dashcam app makes it easy to record any such footage on your phone without even taking it out of your pocket. It is a free app available on the Apple App Store. It allows you to record both video and audio with a dashcam that has been mounted. Users can download the app from the App Store for free.
Hope this article was informational and provided you with relevant detail on iPhones and their usage as a dashcam. Good Day!
FAQs
Q. How to use my phone as a dashcam?
A. The Smart Dashcam app is available on the App Store for free download. It allows you to record both video and audio with a dashcam that has been mounted. Just install and launch it once you start your car’s engine.
Q. What type of videos can you record using this app?
A. This app allows you to record clear video footage of a trip using your iPhone’s camera and microphone. In contrast, a dashcam records the driver’s view of the road in clear 720p HD video footage.
Q. Can you use external memory cards in iPhones?
A. Yes, you can use an external memory card in your iPhone. However, the device needs to support the Lightning port for you to use it. If your device is a model that runs only on USB 2.0, you can only use an external card that has a lightning connector and comes with a lightning adapter.
Q. If my phone gets damaged, what happens to my recordings?
A. Your videos are automatically saved in the Smart Dashcam app’s online storage space. However, the original recordings should be backed up on your computer and a hard drive.