Do all new smartphones these days have a magnetometer? I got an i-mobile IQ6A recently, which is i-mobile's highest-end smartphone and was sold out almost everywhere I looked, but I haven't been able to get any compass apps to work.

Try "GPS Status"

Works well with Samsung.

I've just tried it and it says "Looking for GPS location..." and compass needle stuck on N whichever way I turn the phone. The compass should work indoors shouldn't it?

The accelerometer appears to work though as if I move it it shows non-zero values.

Compass, pitch, roll and accel should all work without GPS lock.

https://play.google.com/store/search?q=compass&c=apps

Both of these work fine for me: SGS2/Android 4.2.2

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apksoftware.compass&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5hcGtzb2Z0d2FyZS5jb21wYXNzIl0.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kr.sira.compass&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImtyLnNpcmEuY29tcGFzcyJd

https://play.google.com/store/search?q=compass&c=apps

Both of these work fine for me: SGS2/Android 4.2.2

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apksoftware.compass&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5hcGtzb2Z0d2FyZS5jb21wYXNzIl0.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kr.sira.compass&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImtyLnNpcmEuY29tcGFzcyJd

I tried both of those already. Smart Compass gives me the error message "Magnetic sensor error. No magnetic sensor, or it is out of order.".

Does anyone with an IQ6 have a working compass?

I've just checked the specifications of the i-mobile smartphones and found that only some of the models have "Digital compass" listed. They are:

i-mobile i-STYLE Q1

i-mobile i-STYLE Q1i

i-mobile i-STYLE Q2

i-mobile i-STYLE Q2 DUO

i-mobile i-STYLE Q3

None of the "IQ" range, which is newer, have "Digital compass" listed in their specifications. It would be a little strange as the hardware is actually very cheap now:

they reached a watershed moment in 2009, when the price of three-axis magnetometers dipped below US $1 per device. "Six months ago, magnetic sensors were selling at $1.50 each, but the price is coming down rapidly," says Laich. "They're now at the sub-$0.50 point and look to get even cheaper as production volumes increase."

Source: A Compass in Every Smartphone

So before I go back to the shop, I'd like to confirm with i-mobile smartphone owners here whether you have a working compass on your phone.