Smartphones have replaced so many other devices. They are so versatile that you probably don't need any of the categories of devices they replace.
10. Travel camera
For many people, a point-and-shoot camera was their first taste of digital photography. Now, phones can do it all—and with computational photography and AI photo editing, they're arguably doing it better for the average user.
The real breakthrough was convenience. Smartphones gave you a camera that was always with you, without having to worry about memory cards or batteries. While early phone cameras were laughably poor compared to even a modest point-and-shoot, they eventually reached a point where image quality became “good enough” for Instagram, Facebook, or a quick family photo album.
9. Pocket calculator
You remember your old TI-35 calculator. It was small, scientific, and at the time, it made people feel like they could solve anything but nuclear equations. In school, it was a symbol of preparation, and its little green LED screen gave it a high-tech feel.
But today, the same functionality is available in smartphone calculator apps, along with a whole suite of scientific tools, graphing tools, and even symbolic problem solvers. The irony is that the calculator was once the disruptor, replacing the algebraic scale and ushering in a new wave of accessible mathematics.
8. GPS device
Dedicated GPS devices like Garmin and TomTom were groundbreaking at the time, offering a convenient alternative to folding paper maps. But smartphones have since redefined how we navigate.
Navigation apps like Google Maps and its alternatives do more than just provide turn-by-turn directions. They offer live traffic updates, intelligent rerouting, and even sync with contacts and calendars for seamless trip planning.
7. MP3 player
Remember the pride you felt when you picked up your first MP3 player? It was a bulky Creative Zen with a tiny screen and only room for a few dozen songs.
But as smartphones and streaming music apps like Spotify , Apple Music , and YouTube Music emerged, the idea of “owning” MP3s began to feel a little strange; perhaps even unnecessary. Access quickly replaced ownership.
6. Alarm clock
There’s something strangely comforting about the soft red glow of a digital alarm clock sitting on your bedside table. We grew up with a clock with a physical button and a snooze bar as a lifeline on school mornings.
But when smartphones entered the bedroom, alarm clocks were quietly pushed aside. Now, phones are alarm clocks, sleep trackers, white noise machines, and integrated entertainment systems. You can set multiple alarms, customize snooze times, and choose from hundreds of alarm sounds. It’s hard to deny the convenience.
5. Flashlight
For most people, the LED flash of their smartphones has quietly replaced the traditional flashlight. It’s hard to resist the convenience of having a light source in your pocket, ready to help you find your keys, deal with a sudden power outage, or look under the sofa without having to fumble for another device.
4. Voice recorder
Once upon a time, a pocket-sized digital voice recorder was a must-have for students, journalists, or anyone chasing a lyric or fleeting idea. It was simple: Just hit record, speak your mind.
But these days, when you need to record a podcast idea , record a random conversation, or capture a fleeting thought, you don’t have to think twice. Just open a voice recorder app. Thanks to better built-in microphones and AI-powered noise reduction, the audio is often clearer than any old voice recorder could handle. And you can edit, transcribe, or share the file without switching apps.
3. Scanner
Many people have had headaches at the thought of scanning something because it means having to pull out a bulky machine, boot up slow software, and pray that the printed image isn't warped or grainy - all just to digitize a receipt or save a signed form.
Now your smartphone can scan documents and make them look great. Scanning apps like Adobe Scan, Microsoft Lens, CamScanner , or even the built-in Notes app can scan, automatically crop, edit, and convert images to PDFs in seconds.
2. Personal digital assistant
Remember the Palm Pilot with its stylus and grayscale screen? It couldn't make calls or take pictures, but it could manage your calendar, take notes, store contacts, and even play the occasional game of pixel solitaire.
Those early PDAs may seem primitive by today's standards, but they laid the groundwork for the smartphones we use every day. Every swipe, tap, or "Hey Siri" comes from those early smartphone prototypes (in some way). They walked so the smartphones we have today could sprint—and we've been running marathons ever since.
1. E-book reader
This category needs a more nuanced look because dedicated e-readers, like the Kindle, aren’t going away. In fact, they’re still around. However, smartphones have replaced the basic e-reading function for many casual readers. The ability to read books, magazines, and articles on your phone, especially with the best e-reader apps and a variety of news apps, has made reading easier and more a part of everyday life.
ADB is a powerful set of tools that give you more control over your Android device. Although ADB is intended for Android developers, you don't need any programming knowledge to uninstall Android apps with it.
You might think you know how to get the most out of your phone time, but chances are you don't know how big a difference this common setting makes.
The Android System Key Verifier app comes pre-installed as a system app on Android devices running version 8.0 or later.
Despite Apple's tight ecosystem, some people have turned their Android phones into reliable remote controls for their Apple TV.
There are many reasons why your Android phone cannot connect to mobile data, such as incorrect configuration errors causing the problem. Here is a guide to fix mobile data connection errors on Android.
For years, Android gamers have dreamed of running PS3 titles on their phones – now it's a reality. aPS3e, the first PS3 emulator for Android, is now available on the Google Play Store.
If you really want to protect your phone, it's time you started locking your phone to prevent theft as well as protect it from hacks and scams.
Android Picture-in-Picture mode will help you shrink the video and watch it in picture-in-picture mode, watching the video in another interface so you can do other things.
The common point of most of these AI chatbot tools is that they need an Internet connection to use. But with the article below, you will learn more tips for using AI chatbots without the Internet on your phone.
Depending on your needs, you'll likely get a set of Pixel-exclusive features running on your existing Android device.
After years of using Android phones, many people have become familiar with a number of open source Android apps. These apps are better than their closed source counterparts.
Samsung's camera app works well out of the box, but Camera Assistant adds new features that you wish were built in from the start.
Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is a powerful and versatile tool that allows you to do many things like find logs, install and uninstall apps, transfer files, root and flash custom ROMs, create device backups.
Chrome on Android is a great browser out of the box, but you can make it even better. These tips and features will help you browse the web faster.
When you compare smartphones from nearly two decades ago and today, you can't help but notice that they've gotten worse in a variety of ways.
Through your purchase history on the App Store, you will know when you downloaded that app or game, and how much you paid for the paid app.
iPhone mutes iPhone from unknown callers and on iOS 26, iPhone automatically receives incoming calls from an unknown number and asks for the reason for the call. If you want to receive unknown calls on iPhone, follow the instructions below.
Apple makes it easy to find out if a WiFi network is safe before you connect. You don't need any software or other tools to help, just use the built-in settings on your iPhone.
iPhone has a speaker volume limit setting to control the sound. However, in some situations you need to increase the volume on your iPhone to be able to hear the content.
ADB is a powerful set of tools that give you more control over your Android device. Although ADB is intended for Android developers, you don't need any programming knowledge to uninstall Android apps with it.
You might think you know how to get the most out of your phone time, but chances are you don't know how big a difference this common setting makes.
The Android System Key Verifier app comes pre-installed as a system app on Android devices running version 8.0 or later.
Despite Apple's tight ecosystem, some people have turned their Android phones into reliable remote controls for their Apple TV.
There are many reasons why your Android phone cannot connect to mobile data, such as incorrect configuration errors causing the problem. Here is a guide to fix mobile data connection errors on Android.
For years, Android gamers have dreamed of running PS3 titles on their phones – now it's a reality. aPS3e, the first PS3 emulator for Android, is now available on the Google Play Store.
The iPhone iMessage group chat feature helps us text and chat more easily with many people, instead of sending individual messages.
For ebook lovers, having a library of books at your fingertips is a great thing. And if you store your ebooks on your phone, you can enjoy them anytime, anywhere. Check out the best ebook reading apps for iPhone below.
You can use Picture in Picture (PiP) to watch YouTube videos off-screen on iOS 14, but YouTube has locked this feature on the app so you cannot use PiP directly, you have to add a few more small steps that we will guide in detail below.
On iPhone/iPad, there is a Files application to manage all files on the device, including files that users download. The article below will guide readers on how to find downloaded files on iPhone/iPad.
If you really want to protect your phone, it's time you started locking your phone to prevent theft as well as protect it from hacks and scams.
