science

Mobile phone accessories

Mobile phone accessories is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Mobile phone accessories rather than just read about it. In short: Mobile accessories include any hardware that is not integral to the operation of a mobile smartphone as designed by the manufacturer. Its purpose is to protect the mobile from being damaged or to use for more convenient use of the mobile.

Key takeaways

Mobile phone accessories belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Mobile phone accessories to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Mobile phone accessories from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Mobile accessories include any hardware that is not integral to the operation of a mobile smartphone as designed by the manufacturer. Its purpose is to protect the mobile from being damaged or to use for more convenient use of the mobile. People can choose whether to use these accessories for their mobile, as they are not a necessity.

Cases

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:

Pouches and sleeves Holsters Shells Skins Fitted cases Bumpers Flip cases and wallets Screen protection films Camera protection films Drop and shock protection Leather cases Cases with integrated kick stands Battery cases Cases with protection devices 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 devices 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

Phone charms are used to decorate the device. They attach either by a strap or by plugging into the jack plug.

Mass storage

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.

Chargers and external batteries

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.

Photo accessories 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 stick

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.

Docks and mounts

Phone stands A phone stand keeps the device standing upright on the desk.

Smartwatches 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.

Smartphone tripod mount A tripod; it is designed to hold the device in place in a fixed location on the ground during the capture of photographs.

HDMI and projector Micro-USB to HDMI cables are used in smartphones with MHL.

Phone coolers 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.

Additional buttons 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.

Brands specializing in mobile accessories Several companies have emerged as prominent manufacturers and brands specializing in mobile phone accessories.

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Mobile phone accessories

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Mobile phone accessories claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Mobile phone accessories before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Mobile phone accessories ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Mobile phone accessories

In research: Mobile phone accessories appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Mobile phone accessories in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Mobile phone accessories is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Mobile phones, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Mobile phone accessories outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Mobile phone accessories in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Mobile phone accessories means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Mobile phone accessories out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Mobile phone accessories in simple terms?

Why does Mobile phone accessories matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Mobile phone accessories?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Mobile phone accessories.