Mobile accessories include any hardware that is not integral to the operation of a mobile smartphone as designed by the manufacturer, and adds utility to the mobile phone.
Mobile accessories include any hardware that is not integral to the operation of a mobile smartphone as designed by the manufacturer, and adds utility to the mobile phone.
Cases, which are designed to attach to, support, or otherwise hold a smartphone, are popular accessories. Case measures are based on the display inches (e.g. 5 inch display). There are different types:
Holsters are commonly used as third-party cases for devices, and/or are made of plastic and without exposed rigid corners. Heavy duty cases are designed to protect from drops and scratches.
A standing (or kickstand) case keeps the device standing upright. The collapsible kickstand of some horizontal cases holds the device in a flatter or steeper angle, depending on whether it is horizontally placed on a surface clockwise or counter-clockwise. The flat angle allows tapping without pushing the device over, while the steep angle is intended for watching.
Folio cases are a combination of a case and stand, and may include a keyboard (USB for OTG smartphones or bluetooth keyboard).
Third-party cases and design covers can serve for protection and personalization. These are the result of the relatively "naked" designs produced by manufacturers such as Apple, where the metal and glass components of the device are exposed and vulnerable to damage. They are distinct from holsters, in allowing use of the device while in the case, but in many instances include a belt clip or other device giving it the functionality of a holster. They are made of plastic, rubber, silicone, leather, or adhesive-backed vinyl pieces. Vinyl material may be calendered or cast, with the latter being more expensive. Calendered vinyl is expected to only be used for short-mid duration (10 years), while cast vinyl is used on a more long-term basis. Calendered vinyl also tends to shrink in the heat and can be shaped into any form (above 80 degrees Celsius), and may fade in direct sunlight.
Customized phone cases use custom printing. Different companies have different methods of printing on cases; some utilize sublimation, others Inkjet-printed skins, others dye-sublimation 3D printing methods.
Functional cases can integrate external batteries or a USB, bluetooth, or Wifi keyboard and touchpad.
Anti-loss keychains can easily locate a smartphone through the GPS and Bluetooth low energy antennas of the phone. Once the user is within range of the smartphone, both the smartphone and device will alert the user. It also can be used to remotely take photographs using Bluetooth.
Phone charms are used to decorate the device. They attach either by a strap or by plugging into the jack plug.
Some smartphones feature SD card slots (usually the smaller Micro-SD variant). These, in combination with a compatible SD card, can be used to transfer files from one device to another, or simply to increase the storage capacity of the phone.
Wi-Fi SDs are Wi-Fi communication devices on a special SD card inserted into the SD card slot. They can move pictures to a local computer or an online photo-sharing service.
Additionally, many devices have USB On-The-Go and support USB storage, in most cases using either a special USB micro-B flash drive or an adapter for a standard USB port. Such adapters can also be used with various other USB devices, such as hardware mice and keyboards.
Mobile phone chargers have gone through a diverse evolution that has included cradles, plug-in cords and obscure connectors. However, devices built between 2010 and 2020 generally use micro-USB connectors, while newer devices tend to use USB-C. Apple devices often use proprietary connectors.
External batteries are most commonly stand-alone devices, which can be cabled to the phone's primary charging connector.
Smart lenses are larger and more capable than the phone's camera, having optical zoom and other features. The smartphone connects to them over Wi-Fi using an app. They are compatible with most smartphones. Smart flash can be used also for selfies.
Selfie sticks are hand-held extensible monopods used to move the devices further away than would have been possible with the reach of the human arm, allowing for the camera to take shots to be taken at angles and distances that would not have been possible before.
A phone stand keeps the device standing upright on the desk.
A smartwatch is a wearable computing device with a touchscreen display that closely resembles a wristwatch or other time-keeping device. Smartwatches are multi-purpose devices. A user can manage notifications, attend calls, ask questions to voice assistants and more. Smartwatches also act like a fitness tracker and a medical device.
A tripod; it is designed to hold the device in place in a fixed location on the ground during the capture of photographs.
Micro-USB to HDMI cables are used in smartphones with MHL.
External device designed to cool down a phone for maintaining or improving performance (SoC, battery lifespan, charging speed). May include heatsink, axial or centrifugal fan(s), heat pipes, vapor chamber, peltier, water-to-air heat exchangers, magsafe, wireless charging and/or programmable rgb lighting. [1] [2]
Pressy Button is a programmable button that can be inserted into the headphone socket of a smartphone or tablet and used as an extra button to perform tasks on the device. [3]
Several companies have emerged as prominent manufacturers and brands specializing in mobile phone accessories.
USB On-The-Go is a specification first used in late 2001 that allows USB devices, such as tablets or smartphones, to also act as a host, allowing other USB devices, such as USB flash drives, digital cameras, mouse or keyboards, to be attached to them. Use of USB OTG allows devices to switch back and forth between the roles of host and device. For example, a smartphone may read from removable media as the host device, but present itself as a USB Mass Storage Device when connected to a host computer.
Various accessories for the PlayStation 3 video game console have been produced by Sony and third-party companies. These include controllers, audio and video input devices like microphones, video cameras, and cables for better sound and picture quality.
Nokia 5300 XpressMusic is a slider mobile phone by Nokia, part of the XpressMusic range. It was introduced on 31 August 2006 and released at the end of that year. It runs on Nokia Series 40 3rd Edition FP2.
Wireless speakers are loudspeakers that receive audio signals using radio frequency (RF) waves rather than over audio cables. The two most popular RF frequencies that support audio transmission to wireless loudspeakers include a variation of WiFi IEEE 802.11, while others depend on Bluetooth to transmit audio data to the receiving speaker.
HTC Magic is an Android smartphone designed and manufactured by HTC. It is HTC's second Android phone after HTC Dream, HTC's first touch-only flagship Android device and the second Android phone commercially released, as well as the first Android phone without a keyboard.
Universal charger or common charger refers to various projects to standardize the connectors of power supplies, particularly for battery-powered devices.
The LG enV3 is a mobile phone built by LG Electronics, and released from Verizon Wireless in the United States and Telus Mobility in Canada. It succeeded the LG enV2. Along with a slimmer design, the enV3 also boasts a full keyboard, a 2.6-inch screen and a 3.0-megapixel camera. In addition to standard phone and text messaging capabilities, the enV3 can be used as a portable music player as well as Internet capabilities such as e-mail and web browsing. The phone is Bluetooth enabled.
The T-Mobile Tap is a mobile phone manufactured by Huawei, Inc. and marketed under the T-Mobile brand and service. It is also known as the Huawei U7519. It was released in November 2009, and was available in many European and Asian markets.
The LG Quantum or Optimus 7Q is a slider smartphone which runs Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system. The LG Quantum was launched November 8, 2010 on AT&T. The C900 ran the Windows Phone 7.0 operating system out-of-the-box and was later updated to Windows Phone 7.5. The C900 also supports the Windows Phone 7.8 update which launched which offers the new Windows Phone 8.0 style tiles and other improvements. It is possible to upgrade it using an alternate method.
The common external power supply was a European Commission (EC) specification for a universal charger for smartphones sold within the European Union. The specification included the use of a USB Micro-B connector and adherence to the USB Battery Charging Specification.
The Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G is an Android touchscreen slider smartphone designed and manufactured by Samsung for T-Mobile USA. It resembles the Samsung Epic 4G in appearance and shares the Epic 4G's screen and camera specifications, but the CPU and other internal hardware is more similar to the Samsung Galaxy S III.
The Surface Pro is a first generation 2-in-1 detachable of the Microsoft Surface series, designed and manufactured by Microsoft. The device ran a 64-bit version of Windows 8 Pro operating system with a free upgrade possibility to Windows 8.1 Pro, and eventually also Windows 10. Initially announced as Surface for Windows 8 Pro on June 18, 2012, at a Los Angeles event, Microsoft later renamed the device to Surface Pro, and launched it on February 9, 2013.
The Surface Pro 3 is the third-generation Surface-series 2-in-1 detachable, designed, developed, marketed, and produced by Microsoft. It originally ran the Windows 8.1 Pro operating system (OS), but the optional upgrade to Windows 10 Pro (OS) operating system was later added.
The HTC RE Camera is a camera introduced by HTC in 2014. It offers a 16MP sensor supporting 1080p video capture, intrusion protection, and is able to connect with smartphones through a dedicated application. Reception to the camera has been mostly positive.
The Phab 2 Pro is an Android smartphone in a phablet form factor, developed and produced by Lenovo and first released in November 2016 at an MSRP of US$499. The device is notable for being the first consumer smartphone to support Google Tango augmented reality (AR) technology.
The initial versions of the USB standard specified connectors that were easy to use and that would have acceptable life spans; revisions of the standard added smaller connectors useful for compact portable devices. Higher-speed development of the USB standard gave rise to another family of connectors to permit additional data paths. All versions of USB specify cable properties; version 3.x cables include additional data paths. The USB standard included power supply to peripheral devices; modern versions of the standard extend the power delivery limits for battery charging and devices requiring up to 240 watts. USB has been selected as the standard charging format for many mobile phones, reducing the proliferation of proprietary chargers.
The Samsung Wave Y, also known as the Samsung S5380 was announced in August 2011 and released later that year in November. It was marketed as a budget alternative to Samsung's higher-end Samsung Wave III. The phone initially sold for €90 (~$120).
The Samsung Galaxy A23 is an Android-based smartphone designed, developed and marketed by Samsung Electronics as a part of its Galaxy A series. The phone was announced on March 4, 2022, alongside the Galaxy A13.
The ROG Phone 8 is a line of Android gaming smartphones made by Asus as the seventh generation of ROG smartphone series following the sixth generation ROG Phone 7. It was launched on 18 January 2024.