Compass In Smartphones

[hyperdimension]

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.

[TommoPhysicist]

Try "GPS Status"

Works well with Samsung.

[hyperdimension]

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.

Edited March 7, 2013 by hyperdimension

[TommoPhysicist]

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

[lomatopo]

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

[hyperdimension]

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?

[hyperdimension]

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.