what is web camera

A webcam is a video camera that is designed to record or stream video to a computer or computer network. They are commonly used for video telephony, live streaming, social media, and security purposes. Webcams can be built into laptops and desktop computers, or they can be separate devices that can be attached to a computer or other device. Some webcams also have built-in microphones, which can be used to capture audio along with video. Webcams are considered an essential accessory for remote work, mainly to compensate for lower quality video processing with the built-in camera of the average laptop. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a shortage of webcams, and most laptops before and during the pandemic were made with cameras capping out at 720p recording quality at best, compared to the industry standard of 1080p or 4K seen in smartphones and televisions from the same period. The primary purpose of a webcam is to capture and transmit video in real-time over the internet. Webcams are often used for online meetings, videoconferencing, live streaming, and other applications that require real-time video communication.