Both my previous and current mobile phones have an electromagnetic compass. But there are serious limitations. To start with, it is not easy to calibrate the compass, and if it does work, the accuracy is poor and always different. In other words, it is almost worthless. My expensive outdoor GPS also has an electromagnetic compass and has almost the same problem. Difficult to calibrate and quite inaccurate. Both compasses are therefore not used and switched off. And it saves on battery consumption. What does work properly? A normal, solid, traditional magnetic compass, preferably with adjustable declination.
Nothing wrong using a phone. I tend to have os maps on it and I keep the phone off unless I need to double check where I am. But I always carry a laminated map and compass. My partner and I carry one each for redundancy.
@@turdwarbler indeed and I don't intend to criticise people for using useful tools. You are clearly one of those who go well prepared and with a backup. Thanks for your comment. Best wishes for great adventures!
If you hold a REAL compass near a phone it goes haywire. So how would you ever be able to put an accurate compass INSIDE a phone. At best i trust it for a "general" direction when the sun is not visible.
Keep it simple, silly! If you're in a shadeless desert at high noon and using the phone charger is not an option, you'd be in a real pickle trying to shade the stupid screen with one hand, etc.
