Editing Smartphone (section)

==Hardware==
[[File:Samsung Galaxy S6 edge (17448278539).jpg|thumb|Smartphone with infrared transmitter on top for use as remote control]]<!--Please replace with more close-up picture when found.-->
{{Main|Mobile phone features}}

A typical smartphone contains a number of [[metal–oxide–semiconductor]] (MOS) [[integrated circuit]] (IC) chips,<ref name="Kim">{{cite book |last1=Kim |first1=Woonyun |chapter=CMOS power amplifier design for cellular applications: an EDGE/GSM dual-mode quad-band PA in 0.18 μm CMOS |editor-last1=Wang |editor-first1=Hua |editor-last2=Sengupta |editor-first2=Kaushik |title=RF and mm-Wave Power Generation in Silicon |date=2015 |publisher=[[Academic Press]] |isbn=978-0-12-409522-9 |pages=89–90 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PzzLAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA89}}</ref> which in turn contain billions of tiny [[MOSFET|MOS field-effect transistors]] (MOSFETs).<ref name="uspto">{{cite web |date=June 10, 2019 |title=Remarks by Director Iancu at the 2019 International Intellectual Property Conference |url=https://www.uspto.gov/about-us/news-updates/remarks-director-iancu-2019-international-intellectual-property-conference |access-date=20 July 2019 |website=[[United States Patent and Trademark Office]]}}</ref> A typical smartphone contains the following MOS IC chips:<ref name="Kim"/>

* [[Microprocessor|Application processor]] ([[CMOS]] [[system-on-a-chip]])
* [[Flash memory]] ([[floating-gate]] [[MOS memory]])
* [[Cellular modem]] ([[baseband]] [[RF CMOS]])
* [[RF transceiver]] ([[RF CMOS]])
* [[Phone camera]] [[image sensor]] ([[CMOS image sensor]])
* [[Power management integrated circuit]] ([[power MOSFET]]s)
* [[Display driver]] ([[LCD]] or [[LED driver]])
* [[Wireless communication]] chips ([[Wi-Fi]], [[Bluetooth]], [[GPS receiver]])
* [[Sound chip]] ([[audio codec]] and [[power amplifier]])
* [[Gyroscope]]
* [[Capacitive sensing|Capacitive]] [[touchscreen]] controller ([[ASIC]] and [[Digital signal processor|DSP]])<ref name="Kim"/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Kent |first1=Joel |chapter=Touchscreen technology basics & a new development |title=2010 CMOS Emerging Technologies Conference Presentation Slides |date=May 2010 |volume=6 |publisher=CMOS Emerging Technologies |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ekdkWGqw29EC&pg=PA34 |isbn=9781927500057 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Ganapati |first1=Priya |title=Finger Fail: Why Most Touchscreens Miss the Point |url=https://www.wired.com/2010/03/touchscreens-smartphones/ |access-date=9 November 2019 |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |date=5 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140511114207/http://www.wired.com/2010/03/touchscreens-smartphones/ |archive-date=2014-05-11 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[RF power amplifier]] ([[LDMOS]])<ref name="Baliga2005">{{cite book |last1=Baliga |first1=B. Jayant |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=StJpDQAAQBAJ |title=Silicon RF Power MOSFETS |date=2005 |publisher=[[World Scientific]] |isbn=9789812561213 |author1-link=B. Jayant Baliga}}</ref><ref name="Asif">{{cite book |last1=Asif |first1=Saad |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yg1mDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT128 |title=5G Mobile Communications: Concepts and Technologies |date=2018 |publisher=[[CRC Press]] |isbn=9780429881343 |pages=128–134}}</ref><ref name="NXP-LDMOS">{{cite web |title=LDMOS Products and Solutions |url=https://www.nxp.com/products/rf/rf-power/ldmos-products-and-solutions:RF-LDMOS-Products-Sol |website=[[NXP Semiconductors]] |access-date=4 December 2019}}</ref>

Some are also equipped with an [[FM radio]] receiver, a hardware [[notification LED]], and an infrared transmitter for use as [[remote control]]. A few models have additional [[#Sensors|sensors]] such as [[thermometer]] for measuring ambient temperature, [[hygrometer]] for humidity, and a sensor for [[ultraviolet ray]] measurement.

A few smartphones designed around specific purposes are equipped with uncommon hardware such as a projector ([[Samsung Beam i8520]] and [[Samsung Galaxy Beam i8530]]), [[optical zoom lenses]] ([[Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom]] and [[Samsung Galaxy K Zoom]]), [[thermal camera]], and even [[PMR446]] ([[walkie-talkie]] radio) [[transceiver]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Camera and thermal imaging Review |url=https://www.trustedreviews.com/reviews/cat-s60-camera-and-thermal-imaging-page-3 |website=Trusted Reviews |language=en |date=11 November 2016 |access-date=19 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Chopra |first1=Purvi |title=Ulefone Armor 3T Review: A Digital Walkie-Talkie Smartphone |url=https://veditto.com/ulefone-armor-3t-review |website=Veditto |access-date=19 April 2021 |date=19 November 2018}}</ref>

===Central processing unit===
Smartphones have [[central processing unit]]s (CPUs), similar to those in computers, but optimised to operate in low power environments. In smartphones, the CPU is typically integrated in a [[CMOS]] (complementary [[metal–oxide–semiconductor]]) [[system-on-a-chip]] (SoC) [[microprocessor|application processor]].<ref name="Kim"/>

The performance of mobile CPU depends not only on the clock rate (generally given in multiples of [[hertz]])<ref>{{cite web
 | title = CPU Frequency
 | work = CPU World Glossary
 | publisher = CPU World
 | date = 25 March 2008
 | url = http://www.cpu-world.com/Glossary/C/CPU_Frequency.html
 | access-date =1 January 2010 }}</ref> but also on the [[memory hierarchy]]. Because of these challenges, the performance of mobile phone CPUs is often more appropriately given by scores derived from various standardized tests to measure the real effective performance in commonly used applications.

===Buttons===
[[File:TouchWiz 2013 device options.png|thumb|upright|"Device options" menu of Samsung Mobile's [[TouchWiz]] user interface as of 2013, accessed by holding the power button for a second]]
[[File:HTC_Desire_-_optic_navigation.jpeg|thumb|The [[HTC Desire]], a 2010 smartphone with [[optical trackpad]] and search button]]

Smartphones are typically equipped with a power button and volume buttons. Some pairs of volume buttons are unified. Some are equipped with a dedicated camera shutter button. Units for outdoor use may be equipped with an "SOS" emergency call and "PTT" ([[push-to-talk]] button). The presence of physical front-side buttons such as the [[home button|home]] and navigation buttons has decreased throughout the 2010s, increasingly becoming replaced by capacitive touch sensors and simulated (on-screen) buttons.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Athow |first1=Desire |title=Best rugged smartphones of 2021: waterproof, shockproof and IP68 mobiles |url=https://www.techradar.com/best/best-rugged-smartphones |website=TechRadar |access-date=18 June 2021 |language=en |date=2021-03-09}}</ref>

As with classic mobile phones, early smartphones such as the [[Samsung Omnia II]] were equipped with buttons for accepting and declining phone calls. Due to the advancements of functionality besides phone calls, these have increasingly been replaced by navigation buttons such as "menu" (also known as "options"), "back", and "tasks". Some early 2010s smartphones such as the [[HTC Desire]] were additionally equipped with a "Search" button (🔍) for quick access to a web search engine or apps' internal search feature.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-11-13 |url=https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/11/13/the-menu-navigation-button-has-finally-been-retired-in-android-10/ |language=en |title=The menu navigation button has finally been retired in Android 10 |author=Corbin Davenport |access-date=2021-06-20}}</ref>

Since 2013, smartphones' home buttons started integrating [[fingerprint scanner]]s, starting with the [[iPhone 5s]] and [[Samsung Galaxy S5]].

Functions may be assigned to button combinations. For example, [[screenshot]]s can usually be taken using the home and power buttons, with a short press on iOS and one-second holding Android OS, the two most popular mobile operating systems. On smartphones with no physical home button, usually the volume-down button is instead pressed with the power button. Some smartphones have a screenshot and possibly [[screencast]] shortcuts in the navigation button bar or the power button menu.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Krasnoff |first1=Barbara |title=How to take screenshots on your iPhone |url=https://www.theverge.com/21340137/apple-iphone-screenshots-ios-how-to-take |website=The Verge |access-date=21 June 2021 |language=en |date=2020-07-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=How to Take Screenshot on LG G3 (3 Methods) |url=https://www.droidviews.com/how-to-take-screenshot-on-lg-g3/ |website=DroidViews |access-date=21 June 2021 |date=2014-08-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=4 Ways To Take a Screenshot on the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra - NaldoTech |url=https://www.naldotech.com/screenshot-samsung-galaxy-note-20-ultra/ |access-date=21 June 2021 |date=2020-08-20}}</ref>

===Display===
{{main|Display device}}
[[File:Livraria do Senado (22622160063).jpg|thumb|A smartphone touchscreen]]
One of the main characteristics of smartphones is the [[Display device|screen]]. Depending on the device's design, the screen fills most or nearly all of the space on a device's front surface. Many smartphone displays have an [[Display aspect ratio|aspect ratio]] of [[16:9]], but taller aspect ratios became more common in 2017, as well as the aim to eliminate bezels by extending the display surface to as close to the edges as possible.

====Screen sizes====
Screen sizes are measured in diagonal [[inch]]es. Phones with screens larger than 5.2 inches are often called "[[phablet]]s". Smartphones with screens over 4.5 inches in size are commonly difficult to use with only a single hand, since most thumbs cannot reach the entire screen surface; they may need to be shifted around in the hand, held in one hand and manipulated by the other, or used in place with both hands. Due to design advances, some modern smartphones with large screen sizes and "edge-to-edge" designs have compact builds that improve their ergonomics, while the shift to taller aspect ratios have resulted in phones that have larger screen sizes whilst maintaining the ergonomics associated with smaller 16:9 displays.<ref name="phonearena-s7edgenotphablet">{{cite web|title=Don't call it a phablet: the 5.5" Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is narrower than many 5.2" devices|url=http://www.phonearena.com/news/Dont-call-it-a-phablet-the-5.5-Samsung-Galaxy-S7-Edge-is-narrower-than-many-5.2-devices_id79482|website=PhoneArena|date=March 21, 2016 |access-date=3 April 2017}}</ref><ref name="verge-phabletpytha">{{cite web|title=We're gonna need Pythagoras' help to compare screen sizes in 2017|url=https://www.theverge.com/tldr/2017/3/30/15120824/screen-aspect-ratio-mathematics-galaxy-s8-lg-g6|website=The Verge|date=March 30, 2017|access-date=3 April 2017}}</ref><ref name="verge-s8aspectratio">{{cite web|title=The Samsung Galaxy S8 will change the way we think about display sizes|url=https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/3/30/15121526/samsung-galaxy-s8-vs-google-pixel-iphone-7-screen-size-comparison|website=The Verge|date=March 30, 2017|publisher=Vox Media|access-date=3 April 2017|archive-date=July 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725110244/https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/3/30/15121526/samsung-galaxy-s8-vs-google-pixel-iphone-7-screen-size-comparison|url-status=dead}}</ref>

====Panel types====
[[Liquid-crystal display]]s (LCDs) and [[organic light-emitting diode]] (OLED) displays are the most common. Some displays are integrated with pressure-sensitive digitizers, such as those developed by [[Wacom (company)|Wacom]] and [[Samsung]],<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Ward|first1=J. R.|last2=Phillips|first2=M. J.|date=1987-04-01|title=Digitizer Technology: Performance Characteristics and the Effects on the User Interface|journal=IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications|volume=7|issue=4|pages=31–44|doi=10.1109/MCG.1987.276869|s2cid=16707568|issn=0272-1716}}</ref> and Apple's [[Force Touch]] system. A few phones, such as the [[YotaPhone]] prototype, are equipped with a low-power [[electronic paper]] rear display, as used in [[e-book reader]]s.

====Alternative input methods====
[[File:Mobile_URL_tooltip.png|thumb|Tooltip in Kiwi Browser, a [[Google Chromium]] derivative, reveals the full URL by hovering over the [[tabbed browsing|tab]] list using the stylus on a [[Samsung Galaxy Note 4]].]]
[[File:HTC Legend - optic sensor.jpeg|thumb|Optical track pad sensor of an [[HTC Legend]], 2010.]]

Some devices are equipped with additional input methods such as a [[stylus]] for higher precision input and hovering detection or a [[Touchscreen#Self-capacitance|self-capacitive touch screen]]s layer for floating finger detection. The latter has been implemented on few phones such as the [[Samsung Galaxy S4]], [[Samsung Galaxy Note 3|Note 3]], [[Samsung Galaxy S5|S5]], [[Samsung Galaxy Alpha|Alpha]], and [[Sony Xperia Sola]], making the Galaxy Note 3 the only smartphone with both so far.

Hovering can enable preview [[tooltip]]s such as on the [[video player]]'s seek bar, in text messages, and quick contacts on the [[dial pad]], as well as [[lock screen]] animations, and the simulation of a [[mouseover|hover]]ing [[mouse cursor]] on web sites.<ref>{{cite web |title=How does Air view work? |url=https://www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/what-is/air-view/ |website=Samsung Galaxy site |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Floating touch™ – Developer World |url=http://developer.sonymobile.com/knowledge-base/technologies/floating-touch |date=17 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120917003815/http://developer.sonymobile.com/knowledge-base/technologies/floating-touch |archive-date=September 17, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=How to Change Unlock Effect on Galaxy S4 Lock Screen |url=https://androidwidgetcenter.com/android-tips/how-to-change-unlock-effect-on-galaxy-s4-lock-screen/ |website=Android Widget Center |language=en |date=13 May 2013}}</ref>

Some styluses support hovering as well and are equipped with a button for quick access to relevant tools such as digital [[post-it note]]s and highlighting of text and elements when dragging while pressed, resembling drag selection using a [[computer mouse]]. Some series such as the [[Samsung Galaxy Note series]] and [[LG G Stylus]] series have an integrated tray to store the stylus in.<ref>{{cite web |title=S Pen on the Note 4 is better than ever: Feature Focus |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/note-4-s-pen-feature-532978/ |website=Android Authority |date=2 October 2014 |access-date=April 9, 2021 |archive-date=January 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119012837/https://www.androidauthority.com/note-4-s-pen-feature-532978/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Few devices such as the [[iPhone 6s]] until [[iPhone Xs]] and [[Huawei Mate S]] are equipped with a [[Force Touch|pressure-sensitive touch screen]], where the pressure may be used to simulate a gas pedal in video games, access to preview windows and shortcut menus, controlling the typing cursor, and a weight scale, the latest of which has been rejected by Apple from the [[App Store (iOS/iPadOS)|App Store]].<ref>{{Cite web|first=Lance |last=Whitney |date=2019-07-08|title=How to Use and Control 3D Touch on Your iPhone|url=https://uk.pcmag.com/gallery/121589/how-to-use-and-control-3d-touch-on-your-iphone|access-date=2021-04-02|website=PCMag UK|language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Zibreg|first=Christian|date=2015-10-28|title=Apple rejects Gravity, a 3D Touch-based iPhone 6s digital scale app|url=https://www.idownloadblog.com/2015/10/28/apple-pulls-gravity-app/|access-date=2021-04-02|website=iDownloadBlog.com|language=en-US}}</ref>

Some early 2010s HTC smartphones such as the [[HTC Desire|HTC Desire (Bravo)]] and [[HTC Legend]] are equipped with an optical track pad for scrolling and selection.<ref>{{cite web |title=HTC Bravo: TMO UK Nexus One Plus Optical Trackpad – Phandroid |url=https://phandroid.com/2010/01/21/htc-bravo-tmo-uk-nexus-one-plus-optical-trackpad/ |website=phandroid.com |access-date=20 July 2021 |date=21 January 2010}}</ref>

====Notification light====
[[File:Notification_LED.webm|thumb|right]]
{{Main article|Notification LED}}
Many smartphones except Apple iPhones are equipped with low-power [[light-emitting diode]]s besides the screen that are able to notify the user about incoming messages, missed calls, low battery levels, and facilitate locating the mobile phone in darkness, with marginial power consumption.

To distinguish between the sources of notifications, the colour combination and blinking pattern can vary. Usually three diodes in red, green, and blue ([[RGB]]) are able to create a multitude of colour combinations.

===Sensors===
Smartphones are equipped with a multitude of sensors to enable system features and third-party applications.

====Common sensors====
[[Accelerometer]]s and [[gyroscope]]s enable automatic control of screen rotation. Uses by third-party software include [[bubble level]] simulation. An [[ambient light sensor]] allows for automatic screen brightness and contrast adjustment, and an [[RGB sensor]] enables the adaption of screen colour.

Many mobile phones are also equipped with a [[barometer]] sensor to measure air pressure, such as Samsung since 2012 with the [[Galaxy S3]], and Apple since 2014 with the [[iPhone 6]]. It allows estimating and detecting changes in altitude.

A [[magnetometer]] can act as a [[digital magnetic compass|digital compass]] by measuring [[Earth's magnetic field]].

====Rare sensors====
Samsung equips their flagship smartphones since the 2014 [[Galaxy S5]] and [[Galaxy Note 4]] with a [[heart rate]] sensor to assist in fitness-related uses and act as a shutter key for the front-facing camera.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-12-25|title=How to Use Heart Rate Sensor on Note 4 as a Shutter Button|url=https://androidwidgetcenter.com/android-tips/use-heart-rate-sensor-note-4-shutter-button/|access-date=2021-04-02|website=Android Widget Center|language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210615163525/https://androidwidgetcenter.com/android-tips/use-heart-rate-sensor-note-4-shutter-button/ |archive-date=2021-06-15 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

So far, only the 2013 [[Samsung Galaxy S4]] and [[Samsung Galaxy Note 3|Note 3]] are equipped with an [[thermometer|ambient temperature sensor]] and a [[hygrometer|humidity sensor]], and only the [[Samsung Galaxy Note 4|Note 4]] with an [[ultraviolet]] radiation sensor which could warn the user about excessive exposure.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|date=2013-04-10|title=Hidden innovation in the Galaxy S4|url=https://www.sammobile.com/2013/04/10/hidden-innovation-in-the-galaxy-s4/|access-date=|website=SamMobile|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=S|first=Ray|title=Playing with the Note 4's UV and SpO2 sensors|url=https://www.phonearena.com/news/Playing-with-the-Note-4s-UV-and-SpO2-sensors_id60358|access-date=2021-04-02|website=Phone Arena|date=September 6, 2014 |language=en-US}}</ref>

A rear infrared [[laser]] beam for distance measurement can enable [[time-of-flight camera]] functionality with accelerated [[autofocus]], as implemented on select LG mobile phones starting with [[LG G3]] and [[LG V10]].

Due to their currently rare occurrence among smartphones, not much software to utilize these sensors has been developed yet.

===Storage===
While [[eMMC]] (''embedded multi media card'') [[flash storage]] was most commonly used in mobile phones, its successor, [[Universal Flash Storage|UFS]] (''Universal Flash Storage'') with higher transfer rates emerged throughout the 2010s for upper-class devices.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ezekiel |first1=Odunayo |title=eMMC or UFS: Understanding new generation of mobile phone storage |url=https://www.dignited.com/23879/emmc-or-ufs-mobile-phone-storage/ |website=Dignited |date=18 November 2019}}</ref>

;Capacity
While the internal storage capacity of mobile phones has been near-stagnant during the first half of the 2010s, it has increased steeper during its second half, with [[Samsung Telecommunications|Samsung]] for example increasing the available internal storage options of their flagship class units from 32 GB to 512 GB within only 2{{1/2}} years between 2016 and 2018.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ware |first1=Russell |title=Understanding Smartphone Storage – How much storage does your phone need? |url=https://www.lifewire.com/smartphone-buying-guides-577502 |website=Lifewire |date=2019-11-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Samsung Starts Producing First 512-Gigabyte Universal Flash Storage for Next-Generation Mobile Devices |url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171204006182/en/Samsung-Starts-Producing-512-Gigabyte-Universal-Flash-Storage |website=www.businesswire.com |language=en |date=5 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Gottsegen |first1=Gordon |title=Samsung is bringing a huge 512GB memory chip to its phones |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/samsung-512gb-memory-chip-announcement/ |website=CNET |language=en |date=2017-12-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=US will only receive 32GB Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/us-getting-32gb-galaxy-s7-s7-edge-675313/ |website=Android Authority |date=21 February 2016}}</ref>

====Memory cards====
[[File:Huawei_U8950D_no_cover.JPG|thumb|Inserted memory and SIM cards]]
{{main article|MicroSD#Mobile phones}}
The space for data storage of some mobile phones can be expanded using [[MicroSD#Mobile phones|MicroSD]] [[memory card]]s, whose capacity has multiplied throughout the 2010s (→ {{section link|SD_card|2009–2019: SDXC}}). Benefits over [[USB on the go]] storage and [[cloud storage]] include [[offline]] availability and [[privacy]], not reserving and protruding from the [[charging port]], no connection instability or [[latency (engineering)|latency]], no dependence on voluminous [[data plan]]s, and preservation of the limited rewriting cycles of the device's permanent internal storage. Large amounts of data can be moved immediately between devices by changing memory cards, large-scale [[data backup]]s can be created offline, and data can be read externally should the smartphone be inoperable.<ref>{{cite web |language=en-us |title=MicroSD vs. cloud storage: Which do you prefer? |url=https://news.wirefly.com/2013/05/31/microsd-vs-cloud-storage-which-do-you-prefer |website=phonedog.com |date=31 May 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |language=en-nz |title=Understanding Life Expectancy of Flash Storage |url=https://www.ni.com/en-nz/support/documentation/supplemental/12/understanding-life-expectancy-of-flash-storage.html |website=www.ni.com |date=2020-07-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-09 |title=How to back up your Android phone |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/backup-android-phone-708622/ |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=Android Authority |language=en}}</ref>

In case of technical [[brick (electronics)|defects]] which make the device unusable or un[[boot (computing)|boot]]able as a result of liquid damage, fall damage, screen damage, [[bendgate|bending damage]], [[malware]], or bogus [[software update|system update]]s,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Popa |first1=Bogdan |title=Xiaomi Ships Android 11 Update, Completely Bricks Devices |url=https://news.softpedia.com/news/xiaomi-ships-android-11-update-completely-bricks-devices-531859.shtml |website=softpedia |language=english |date=2019-12-31}}</ref> etc., data stored on the memory card is likely [[data recovery|rescueable]] externally, while data on the inaccessible internal storage would be [[data loss|lost]]. A memory card can usually{{efn|Presuming common [[file system]] support, which is usually given. Some software-specific data left over from a previous device might not be relevant on the new device.}} immediately be re-used in a different memory-card-enabled device with no necessity for prior [[file transfer]]s.

Some [[dual-SIM]] mobile phones are equipped with a hybrid slot, where one of the two slots can be occupied by either a [[SIM card]] or a memory card. Some models, typically of higher end, are equipped with three slots including one dedicated memory card slot, for simultaneous dual-SIM and memory card usage.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kaufberatung: Smartphones mit Dual-SIM und Micro-SD |url=https://www.techstage.de/ratgeber/kaufberatung-smartphones-mit-dual-sim-und-micro-sd/3t4xzm3 |website=TechStage |access-date=13 June 2021 |language=de |date=2019-01-29}}</ref>

;Physical location
The location of both SIM and memory card slots vary among devices, where they might be located accessibly behind the back cover or else behind the battery, the latter of which denies [[hot swapping]].<ref>{{cite web |title=How to increase internal memory on the Galaxy Note 4 |url=https://www.nextpit.com/how-to-increase-internal-memory-on-galaxy-note-4 |website=NextPit |date=July 5, 2015 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Thorn |first1=Thomas |title=Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review |url=https://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/samsung-galaxy-s4-mini-1137603/review |website=TechRadar |language=en |date=2013-08-09}}</ref>

Mobile phones with non-removable rear cover typically house SIM and memory cards in a small tray on the handset's frame, ejected by inserting a needle tool into a pinhole.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hidalgo |first1=Jason |title=Replace the SIM & Memory Card in a Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge |url=https://www.lifewire.com/install-sim-memory-galaxy-s7-4023729 |website=Lifewire |language=en}}</ref>

Some earlier mid-range phones such as the 2011 [[Samsung Galaxy Fit (smartphone)|Samsung Galaxy Fit]] and [[Samsung Galaxy Ace|Ace]] have a sideways memory card slot on the frame covered by a cap that can be opened without tool.<ref>{{cite web |title=Samsung Galaxy Ace S5830 review: Ace in the hole |url=https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_ace_s5830-review-573.php |website=GSMArena.com |page=1 |date=2011-02-23}}</ref>

====File transfer====
Originally, [[mass storage]] access was commonly enabled to computers through USB. Over time, mass storage access was removed, leaving the [[Media Transfer Protocol]] as protocol for USB file transfer, due to its non-exclusive access ability where the computer is able to access the storage without it being locked away from the mobile phone's software for the duration of the connection, and no necessity for common [[file system]] support, as communication is done through an [[abstraction layer]].

However, unlike mass storage, Media Transfer Protocol lacks parallelism, meaning that only a single transfer can run at a time, for which other transfer requests need to wait to finish. This, for example, denies browsing photos and playing back videos from the device during an active file transfer. Some programs and devices lack support for MTP. In addition, the direct access and [[random access]] of files through MTP is not supported. Any file is wholly downloaded from the device before opened.<ref>{{cite web |title=What Happened To Mass Storage & File Management? [Updated] - Mobility Arena - Mobile Phone, Smartphone, Cell Phone Reviews |url=https://mobilityarena.com/what-happened-to-mass-storage-and-file-management/ |website=mobilityarena.com |date=2011-11-18}}</ref>

===Sound===
Some audio quality enhancing features, such as [[Voice over LTE]] and [[HD Voice]] have appeared and are often available on newer smartphones. Sound quality can remain a problem due to the design of the phone, the quality of the cellular network and compression algorithms used in [[long-distance call]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/why-mobile-voice-quality-still-stinksand-how-to-fix-it|title=Why Mobile Voice Quality Still Stinks—and How to Fix It|first=Jeff|last=Hecht|work=[[IEEE]]|date=September 30, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-is-cell-phone-call-quality-so-terrible|title=Why Is Cell Phone Call Quality So Terrible?|first=Elena|last=Malykhina|work=Scientific American}}</ref> Audio quality can be improved using a [[VoIP]] application over [[Wi-Fi]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lifehacker.com/whats-the-best-mobile-voip-app-1579791681|title=What's the Best Mobile VoIP App?|first=Alan|last=Henry|publisher=Gawker Media|work=Lifehacker|date=May 22, 2014 }}</ref> Cellphones have small speakers so that the user can use a [[speakerphone]] feature and talk to a person on the phone without holding it to their ear. The small speakers can also be used to listen to digital audio files of music or speech or watch videos with an audio component, without holding the phone close to the ear. However, integrated speakers may be small and of restricted sound quality to conserve space.

Some mobile phones such as the [[HTC One M8]] and the [[Sony Xperia Z2]] are equipped with [[stereophonic sound|stereophonic]] speakers to create spacial sound when in horizontal orientation.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hoyle |first1=Andrew |title=HTC One M8 BoomSound speakers are loud and proud |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/htc-one-m8-speaker-comparison/ |website=CNET |language=en |date=2014-03-25}}</ref>

====Audio connector====
The [[Phone connector (audio)#Miniature size|3.5mm headphone receptible]] ([[colloquialism|coll.]] "''headphone jack''") allows the immediate operation of passive [[headphone]]s, as well as connection to other external auxiliary audio appliances. Among devices equipped with the connector, it is more commonly located at the bottom (charging port side) than on the top of the device.

The decline of the connector's availability among newly released mobile phones among all major vendors commenced in 2016 with its lack on the Apple [[iPhone 7]]. An [[adapter]] reserving the charging port can retrofit the plug.

Battery-powered, wireless Bluetooth headphones are an alternative. Those tend to be costlier however due to their need for internal hardware such as a Bluetooth [[transceiver]] and a battery with a charging controller, and a Bluetooth coupling is required ahead of each operation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Was ditching the headphone jack a good idea? |url=https://www.soundguys.com/was-ditching-the-headphone-jack-a-good-idea-13825/ |website=SoundGuys |date=9 August 2019}}</ref>

===Battery===
Smartphones typically feature [[lithium-ion battery|lithium-ion]] or [[lithium-polymer battery|lithium-polymer batteries]] due to their high [[energy density|energy densities]].

Batteries chemically wear down as a result of repeated charging and discharging throughout ordinary usage, losing both energy capacity and output power, which results in loss of processing speeds followed by system outages.<ref>{{cite web |title=Causes and Fixes of Unexpected Phone Shutoffs - RTCL ... rtcl.eecs.umich.edu › assets › 2020 |url=https://rtcl.eecs.umich.edu/rtclweb/assets/publications/2020/youngmoon-mobisys20.pdf |date=2020-06-15}}</ref> Battery capacity may be reduced to 80% after few hundred recharges, and the drop in performance accelerates with time.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jasieniak |first1=Jacek |title=Explainer: how to extend your phone's battery life |url=https://theconversation.com/explainer-how-to-extend-your-phones-battery-life-80958 |website=The Conversation |date=July 31, 2017 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.ukm.my/jqma/v10_1/jqma-10-1-paper4.pdf |title=Modelling of Charge/Discharge Cycle of Lithium Ion Battery System |first1=Ho Kar |last1=Yee |first2=Sivakumar |last2=Ramakrishnan |first3=Ahmad Azmin |last3=Mohamad |journal=Journal of Quality Measurement and Analysis |volume=10 |issue=1 |date=2014 |pages=39–47}}</ref>
Some mobile phones are designed with batteries that can be interchanged upon expiration by the end user, usually by opening the back cover. While such a design had initially been used in most mobile phones, including those with touch screen that were not Apple iPhones, it has largely been usurped throughout the 2010s by permanently built-in, non-replaceable batteries; a design practice criticized for [[Planned obsolescence#Batteries|planned obsolescence]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Planned obsolescence: the outrage of our electronic waste mountain |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/apr/15/the-right-to-repair-planned-obsolescence-electronic-waste-mountain |website=the Guardian |language=en |date=15 April 2020}}</ref>

====Charging====
[[File:USB battery charger.jpg|thumb|A high-capacity portable [[battery charger]] ([[Battery charger#Power bank|''power bank'']])]]

Due to limitations of [[electrical current]]s that existing USB cables' copper wires could handle, charging protocols which make use of elevated [[voltages]] such as [[Qualcomm Quick Charge]] and [[MediaTek Pump Express]] have been developed to increase the power throughput for faster charging, to maximize the usage time without restricted ergonomy and to minimize the time a device needs to be attached to a power source.

The smartphone's integrated [[charge controller]] (IC) requests the elevated voltage from a supported [[mobile phone charger|charger]]. "[[VOOC]]" by Oppo, also marketed as "dash charge", took the counter approach and increased current to cut out some heat produced from internally regulating the arriving voltage in the end device down to the battery's charging terminal voltage, but is incompatible with existing USB cables, as it requires the thicker copper wires of high-current USB cables. Later, [[USB Power Delivery]] (''USB-PD'') was developed with the aim to standardize the negotiation of charging parameters across devices of up to 100 Watts, but is only supported on cables with USB-C on both endings due to the connector's dedicated PD channels.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rao |first1=Sumukh |title=Qualcomm Quick Charge vs OnePlus Warp Charge vs Oppo VOOC vs USB-PD - TechPP |url=https://techpp.com/2020/04/09/qualcomm-quick-charge-vs-oneplus-warp-charge-vs-oppo-vooc-vs-usb-pd/ |website=techpp.com |access-date=9 December 2021 |date=2020-04-09}}</ref>

While charging rates have been increasing, with 15 [[watt]]s in 2014,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ho |first1=Joshua |title=The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Review |url=https://www.anandtech.com/show/8613/the-samsung-galaxy-note-4-review/3 |website=www.anandtech.com |date=2014}}</ref> 20 Watts in 2016,<ref>{{cite web |last1=T |first1=Nick |title=How it works: Dash Charge fast charging on the OnePlus 3 |url=https://www.phonearena.com/news/How-it-works-Dash-Charge-fast-charging-on-the-OnePlus-3_id82646 |website=Phone Arena |date=2016-06-30}}</ref> and 45 watts in 2018,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Byford |first1=Sam |title=Oppo has the fastest fast charging we've ever seen |url=https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/10/10/17958648/oppo-super-vooc-fast-charging-find-x-lamborghini-edition |website=The Verge |language=en |date=10 October 2018}}</ref> the power throughput may be throttled down significantly during operation of the device.<ref>{{cite web |title=PSA: The Galaxy S8 and S8+ doesn't actually Fast Charge while you're using it – Phandroid |url=https://phandroid.com/2017/05/11/samsung-galaxy-s8-plus-wont-fast-charge-problems/ |website=phandroid.com |date=11 May 2017}}</ref>{{efn|I.e. while the device is not in stand-by mode or charging while the main operating system is powered off.}}

[[Wireless charging]] has been widely adapted, allowing for intermittent recharging without wearing down the charging port through frequent reconnection, with [[Qi (standard)|''Qi'']] being the most common standard, followed by [[Powermat]]. Due to the lower efficiency of wireless power transmission, charging rates are below that of wired charging, and more heat is produced at similar charging rates.

By the end of 2017, smartphone battery life has become generally adequate;<ref>{{cite web|title=6 phones with the best battery life|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/smartphones-best-long-battery-life/|access-date=October 31, 2017}}</ref> however, earlier smartphone battery life was poor due to the weak batteries that could not handle the significant power requirements of the smartphones' computer systems and color screens.<ref>{{cite press release|title=J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Smartphone Battery Life has Become a Significant Drain on Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jd-power-and-associates-reports-smartphone-battery-life-has-become-a-significant-drain-on-customer-satisfaction-and-loyalty-142765065.html|access-date=September 11, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=James |last=Kendrick |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-secret-behind-poor-smartphone-battery-life/ |title=The secret behind poor smartphone battery life|work=ZDNet |date=August 4, 2014 |access-date=November 2, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://techland.time.com/2013/04/01/peak-battery-why-smartphone-battery-life-still-stinks-and-will-for-years/ |title=Peak Battery: Why Smartphone Battery Life Still Stinks, and Will for Years|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] | date=April 1, 2013}}</ref>

Smartphone users purchase additional chargers for use outside the home, at work, and in cars and by buying portable external "battery packs". External battery packs include generic models which are connected to the smartphone with a cable, and custom-made models that "piggyback" onto a smartphone's case. In 2016, Samsung had to recall millions of the [[Galaxy Note 7]] smartphones due to an explosive battery issue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/samsung-halts-galaxy-note-7-shipments-phones-catching-fire/|title=Refurbished version of ill-fated Galaxy Note 7 will soon be available overseas|date=May 5, 2017}}</ref> For consumer convenience, [[inductive charging|wireless charging]] stations have been introduced in some hotels, bars, and other public spaces.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/story/iphone-wireless-charging-qi/|title=The Most Impactful New iPhone Feature May Be the Most Boring|magazine=WIRED|access-date=2017-09-22|language=en-US}}</ref>

====Power management====
A technique to minimize power consumption is the panel self-refresh, whereby the image to be shown on the display is not sent at all times from the processor to the integrated controller (IC) of the display component, but only if the information on screen is changed. The display's integrated controller instead memorizes the last screen contents and refreshes the screen by itself. This technology was introduced around 2014 and has reduced power consumption by a few hundred milliwatts.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Frumusanu |first1=Andrei |title=Analysing AMOLED Power Efficiency Improvements |url=https://www.anandtech.com/show/9394/analysing-amoled-power-efficiency |website=www.anandtech.com |access-date=14 September 2023 |date=2015-06-23}}</ref>

===Cameras===
{{main|Camera phone|Digital camera|Videophone}}

Cameras have become standard features of smartphones. {{As of|2019}} phone cameras are now a highly competitive area of differentiation between models, with advertising campaigns commonly based on a focus on the quality or capabilities of a device's main cameras.

Images are usually saved in the [[JPEG]] file format; some high-end phones since the mid-2010s also have [[Raw image format|RAW]] imaging capability.<ref>{{cite web |title=How to Shoot Photos in DNG/RAW on Samsung Galaxy S7 |url=https://www.androidbeat.com/2016/04/how-to-shoot-photos-dng-raw-galaxy-s7/ |website=Android Beat {{!}} Android News, Hacks, Apps, Tips & Reviews Blog |access-date=19 August 2021 |language=en-us |date=24 April 2016 |archive-date=August 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210819213752/https://www.androidbeat.com/2016/04/how-to-shoot-photos-dng-raw-galaxy-s7/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Nikam |first1=Sohil |title=Samsung Dropping RAW Image Support Into Galaxy S6 And S6 Edge Via Android 5.1.1 Update - TechShout |url=https://www.techshout.com/samsung-to-bless-galaxy-s6-and-s6-edge-with-raw-photo-support-via-android-5-1-1-update/ |website=www.techshout.com |access-date=19 August 2021 |date=2015-05-08}}</ref>

====Space constraints====
Typically smartphones have at least one main rear-facing camera and a lower-resolution front-facing camera for "[[selfie]]s" and [[video chat]]. Owing to the limited depth available in smartphones for [[image sensor]]s and [[Lens|optics]], rear-facing cameras are often housed in a "bump" that is thicker than the rest of the phone. Since increasingly thin mobile phones have more abundant horizontal space than the depth that is necessary and used in dedicated cameras for better lenses, there is additionally a trend for phone manufacturers to include multiple cameras, with each optimized for a different purpose ([[Telephoto lens|telephoto]], [[Wide-angle lens|wide angle]], etc.).

Viewed from back, rear cameras are commonly located at the top center or top left corner. A cornered location benefits by not requiring other hardware to be packed around the camera module while increasing [[ergonomy]], as the lens is less likely to be covered when held horizontally.

Modern advanced smartphones have cameras with [[Image stabilization#Optical image stabilization|optical image stabilisation]] (OIS), larger sensors, bright lenses, and even optical zoom plus [[Raw image format|RAW]] images. [[High-dynamic-range imaging|HDR]], "[[Bokeh]] mode" with multi lenses and multi-shot [[Night mode camera|night mode]]s are now also familiar.<ref>{{cite web |title=Top 16 Best Camera Phones For Photography 2019 |url=https://www.ephotozine.com/article/top-16-best-camera-phones-for-photography-2019-23050 |date=April 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512034618/https://www.ephotozine.com/article/top-16-best-camera-phones-for-photography-2019-23050 |archive-date=May 12, 2019}}</ref> Many new smartphone camera features are being enabled via [[computational photography]] [[Digital image processing|image processing]] and multiple specialized lenses rather than larger sensors and lenses, due to the constrained space available inside phones that are being made as slim as possible.

====Dedicated camera button====
Some mobile phones such as the [[Samsung i8000 Omnia 2]], some [[Nokia Lumia]]s and some [[Sony Xperia]]s are equipped with a physical camera shutter button.

Those with two pressure levels resemble the [[point-and-shoot]] intuition of dedicated [[compact camera]]s. The camera button may be used as a [[shortcut (computing)|shortcut]] to quickly and [[ergonomy|ergonomically]] launch the camera software, as it is located more accessibly inside a pocket than the power button.

===Back cover materials===
Back covers of smartphones are typically made of [[polycarbonate]], aluminium, or glass. Polycarbonate back covers may be glossy or matte, and possibly textured, like dotted on the [[Galaxy S5]] or leathered on the [[Galaxy Note 3]] and [[Note 4]].

While polycarbonate back covers may be perceived as less "premium" among [[fashion]]- and [[fad|trend]]-oriented users, its utilitarian strengths and technical benefits include durability and shock absorption, greater [[elasticity (physics)|elasticity]] against permanent bending like metal, inability to shatter like glass, which facilitates designing it removable; better manufacturing cost efficiency, and no blockage of radio signals or wireless power like metal.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ho |first1=Joshua |title=A Discussion on Material Choices in Mobile |url=https://www.anandtech.com/show/7984/discussion-on-material-choices-in-mobile |website=www.anandtech.com |access-date=11 April 2021 |date=2014-05-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Bring back plastic phones. |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/bring-back-plastic-phones-1004824/ |website=Android Authority |date=5 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Benefits And Applications Of Polycarbonates |url=https://www.tuflite.com/blog/benefits-applications-polycarbonates |website=Tuflite |date=17 June 2020 |access-date=April 11, 2021 |archive-date=April 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411235448/https://www.tuflite.com/blog/benefits-applications-polycarbonates |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Build materials: metal vs glass vs plastic |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/build-materials-metal-vs-glass-vs-plastic-617553/ |website=Android Authority |date=19 July 2018}}</ref>

===Accessories===
A wide range of accessories are sold for smartphones, including [[Mobile phone accessories#Cases|cases]], [[#Memory_cards|memory card]]s, [[screen protector]]s, [[Battery charger#Mobile phone charger|chargers]], [[wireless charging|wireless power]] stations, [[USB On-The-Go]] adapters (for connecting USB drives and or, in some cases, a HDMI cable to an external monitor), [[Mobile High-Definition Link|MHL]] adapters, add-on batteries, [[power bank]]s, [[headphones]], combined headphone-microphones (which, for example, allow a person to privately conduct [[Telephone call|call]]s on the device without holding it to the ear), and [[Bluetooth]]-enabled [[powered speaker]]s that enable users to listen to media from their smartphones wirelessly.

Cases range from relatively inexpensive rubber or soft plastic cases which provide moderate protection from bumps and good protection from scratches to more expensive, heavy-duty cases that combine a rubber padding with a hard outer shell. Some cases have a "book"-like form, with a cover that the user opens to use the device; when the cover is closed, it protects the screen. Some "book"-like cases have additional pockets for credit cards, thus enabling people to use them as [[wallet]]s.

Accessories include products sold by the manufacturer of the smartphone and compatible products made by other manufacturers.

However, some companies, like [[Apple Inc.|Apple]], stopped including chargers with smartphones in order to "reduce [[carbon footprint]]", etc., causing many customers to pay extra for charging adapters.