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Practical Things You Didn’t Know Your Smartphones Can Do

Written By JM Chavaria
Published • September 11th, 2023
FeatureSmartphones
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If you’re like me, you probably use your smartphone for the usual things: music, movies, and social media. But did you know that your trusty smartphone is capable of so much more?

Smartphones have practically evolved into computing machines possessing extraordinary capabilities. They have cameras, microphones, gyroscopes, proximity sensors, accelerometers, light sensors, and GPS receivers, with even more to come.

Practical Things Your Smartphone Can Do Fi

With its array of built-in hardware combined with useful apps, your phone is a versatile tool that can do more than just keep you entertained. So, let’s explore 10 practical things you might never knew your smartphone can do!

Table of Contents

1. Compass

When navigating with Waze or Google Maps, we can always see the direction or where the phone is facing thanks to a built-in hardware, in addition to GPS.

Compass

Almost all smartphones come equipped with a magnetometer, which allows the phone to function as a compass. Through a 3-axis magnetometer, the phone can determine your location with reference to Magnetic North (or South) based on this orientation.

Many phone operating systems, including iOS, have developed a dedicated Compass app that can be easily accessed from the app list.

2. Leveler

In addition to being a compass, did you know that your phone can also be your pocket leveler?

Using a the same 3-axis mechanism of the magnetometer, your phone can determine your its orientation in a given space, allowing it to detect whether it’s level or angled.

Level

Your smartphone’s built-in leveler is a hidden gem that can come in handy when you need to hang a picture frame or level your furniture.

3. Sun Tracker

By utilizing data from various sources such as the compass, location, maps, and ephemeris information, your phone can track the estimated trajectory of the sun and moon. With the addition of augmented reality (AR), this data can be visualized in real-time, making it even easier to visualize.

For architects, this is especially useful for site surveying, allowing for near accurate estimate on the orientation of the sun, which is a crucial factor in a structure’s design. Photography hobbyists with a bias for sunset photos can also take advantage of this feature!

However, unlike compass and level, you may only find a sun tracker app via third-party developers. So, be extra careful on which to download!

4. Speedometer

Did you know that your smartphone has a built-in speedometer? Using its GPS to track your movement and calculate your speed, your phone can display your current speed just like a traditional speedometer.

Speedometer

This clever feature can come in handy for drivers who want to monitor their speed on the road or for athletes who want to track their speed while running or cycling.

If you’ve played Pokémon Go, you might recall the game warning you about moving too fast while riding a car or on a train. This is why!

5. Step Counter

If you want to stay on top of your fitness game without splurging on a smartwatch or fitness band, your smartphone has got you covered! Also mainly using GPS, your phone can act as a pedometer to count your steps when you go for a jog.

Step Counter

I first saw such a feature on my Nintendo 3DS XL. For every 100 steps, the device would earn a 3DS Game Coin. If a decade-old handheld console had this feature, then certainly today’s smartphones can do it too!

6. Magnifying Glass/Microscope and Telescope

With a blend of creativity and the right equipment, your smartphone can unlock a whole new tiny world, allowing you to explore the intricate details of the small things in life that are normally invisible to the naked eye.

By transforming into a powerful magnifying glass or microscope, the telephoto lens on some smartphones can zoom in on objects and capture every minute detail.

Microscope

There are also third-party specialized lenses and attachments that can be purchased to turn your smartphone into a microscope, allowing you to see even the tiniest details of a specimen.

Not only that, if your phone has a built-in periscope, it can act as a telescope and capture images of distant objects, including the moon!

7. Measuring Tape

Need to measure something but don’t have a ruler handy? Your smartphone can serve as a makeshift measuring tape. By using its camera and a little bit calculation of math algorithms, your phone can accurately measure the distance between objects.

Measuring Tape

There are several apps available that utilize this feature. Apple’s Measure app on the iPhone, for example, uses augmented reality to make measuring anything from the length of a room to the height of a building more conveniently.

8. Light Meter

Your smartphone’s ambient light sensor is not just for auto-brightness setting. It can also be used to measure the light in a given environment.

A phone’s ambient light sensor is a photodetector that senses the amount of ambient light present. It is used to automatically adjust the phone’s screen brightness, depending on the light intensity.

Light Meter

Taking advantage of that hardware are a slew of apps that measure light. This feature is a godsend for photographers who mind the perfect exposure.

9. Noise Meter

Believe it or not, your smartphone can also function as a noise meter. By using its microphone, your phone can measure the decibel level of the sound in a given environment.

This feature can come in handy for anyone who needs to monitor noise levels, whether it’s to ensure a quiet study environment or to track noise pollution in a specific area.

Noise Meter

While smartphone apps can give an idea of the sound levels in a given environment, it’s important to note that they may not be as accurate as professional sound level meters for critical measurements.

Nonetheless, these apps can be useful for general noise level monitoring or quick assessments of your surroundings.

10. Heart Rate Monitor

Finally, your smartphone can also function as a heart rate monitor. By using the flash and rear camera on your phone, some apps can detect changes in blood flow and calculate your heart rate.

Heart Rate Monitor

This feature is particularly useful for fitness enthusiasts who want to track their heart rate during exercise, but don’t want to invest in a dedicated fitness tracker or a smartwatch.

So, there you have it! Your smartphone is not just a device for killing time with mindless scrolling.

It’s indeed a multitasking tool that can help you with things you never thought possible.

androidaraugmented realitycompassfitness trackinghardware capabilitiesHeart rate monitoriosiphoneleveler

JM Chavaria

JM's highest stat is probably his curious ardor to anything tech—electronics and gaming in particular. He certainly heeds utmost regard to specsheet, visuals, and rule of thirds. If creativity and wit sometimes leave JM's system, watching films, anime and a good stroll for memes are his approved therapeutic claims.