A Barometer? What use could this have going forward?

[Tim K]

OK, so the hardware specs include a barometer. What purpose could this possibly serve going forward? It measures air pressure....is there going to be an app to tell me its going to rain soon? I already have access to maps with doppler radar.

I just can't think of any other use. Maybe someone with more creativity out there can share some thoughts?

 

[Jersey Tom]

Beats me. As I say, I'd rather have a bigger battery than a barometer!

 

[BigRedNole]

Maybe it can detect the pressure about to come out of my arse and notify me to let me to make it a silent one or let it rip.

Overall, it sound useless to me.

 

[Lev16]

I use my phone for tracking vertical feet on mtn bike rides. I use My Tracks to do it. The issue is that the vertical feet reported is an estimation based on GPS data. Having a barometer would be pretty sweet for getting accurate altitude info. I could see the benefit for skiers as well.

 

[callmeox]

Beats me. As I say, I'd rather have a bigger battery than a barometer!

If only life was a series of either or choices.

The barometer can be used to enhance the ability of the GPS to give you correct altitude readings.

 

[Laxstar785]

Beats me. As I say, I'd rather have a bigger battery than a barometer!

you are making the assumption that removing the barometer would give space to increase battery size......as a mechanical engineer i can tell you that is an extremely dangerous thing to assume and I am willing to bet that is not the case. removing it would certainly open space up somewhere in the phone but might not be "useful" space that can be used to increase battery size.

 

[Stigy]

Interesting read: Why the Barometer Is Android's New Trump Card

 

[Deleted User]

you are making the assumption that removing the barometer would give space to increase battery size......as a mechanical engineer i can tell you that is an extremely dangerous thing to assume and I am willing to bet that is not the case. removing it would certainly open space up somewhere in the phone but might not be "useful" space that can be used to increase battery size.

Yessir. Given the likely size of the barometer, and the strong likelihood that it was squeezed between chips of similar height, there's almost no chance that it intruded in any way on the battery space.

Here's an article by Gizmodo on the barometer:

Why the Barometer Is Android's New Trump Card

 

[milan03]

For me it's gonna be useful to measure spectral efficiency of an LTE device under given weather conditions.
I know, I'm a nerd...

 

[likebutta]

Some people who get constant headaches are affected by pressure, so it will be useful to them to know how their day is going to be.

 

[Jersey Tom]

you are making the assumption that removing the barometer would give space to increase battery size......as a mechanical engineer i can tell you that is an extremely dangerous thing to assume and I am willing to bet that is not the case. removing it would certainly open space up somewhere in the phone but might not be "useful" space that can be used to increase battery size.

Yeah I'm a MechEng as well. I don't care about space, I care about cost. I'd gladly give up the cost of integrating a barometer, and put that unit cost toward a bigger battery. Add a mm of thickness, fine by me.

 

[craiger82]

Crazy thought. I was reading a few days ago about how police use acoustical estimation to be able to determine the exact location (10m accuracy) that gunshots are being fired. Is a barometer sensitive enough to notice those pressure variations?

Crowdsourced weather?

 

[Bowen9284]

Could be useful for pilot's in non pressurized aircraft. At least as a backup altimeter.

 

[Leondreux]

Doesn't the iPhone have a metal-detector?

I believe I saw an app that used that feature or something.

 

[Colchicine]

I posted this on G+, so I copied it over to here:
So the Galaxy Nexus phone was announced yesterday, and among many interesting things, it comes with a barometer. I've tried to think of practical applications to reading barometric pressure.
I've come up with one and I wanted to advertise it here since it will probably make someone rich. I'll be able to say First!
It's known that changing weather causes headaches, myself included. I'm guessing there will be an app that will log when you get headaches and compare it to recent barometric pressure readings. After learning what gives you a headache, it should be able to actually predict when you will get one and warn you accordingly.

 

[VTarantino]

Doesn't the iPhone have a metal-detector?

I believe I saw an app that used that feature or something.

Magnetometer, which almost every Android phone has as well. It's necessary for the compass. It will only detect ferromagnetic metals.

 

[samsong12]

ince last night's announcement, there has been a lot of speculation surrounding the Galaxy Nexus. One of the most mysterious features of Samsung's latest Nexus device is its onboard barometer. Many have been questioning why Samsung would include a barometer in the Nexus' sleek chassis, citing possibilities from more accurate weather prediction to simple altitude detection (which is partially true).
In a Google+ post today, Android Engineer Dan Morrill gave us the scoop on what the barometer is actually for, and it's more interesting than you might think.

Morrill explains that the barometer is actually intended to speed up GPS location, because "locking onto a GPS involves numerically solving a 4-dimensional set of linear equations - 3 dimensions in space, and time."
That sounds a bit complicated, doesn't it?

Fortunately, Morrill broke it down further for readers, explaining that assisted GPS (aGPS) is popular because it gives a rough, city-level estimate of location. Including a barometer in this process speeds things up further, giving a "reasonable first-cut estimate for altitude" based on atmospheric pressure. Determining altitude quickly eliminates one of the three spatial dimensions of GPS location, and, when added to aGPS' 2-dimensional estimate, location can be determined much more efficiently.

Morrill admits that an onboard barometer could be used for weather prediction, but notes that the Galaxy Nexus' barometer may not be "weather grade."

So there you have it - there really isn't much mystery behind the barometer in the Galaxy Nexus. "It's worth noting," Morrill adds, "that the Xoom has a barometer too, so it's not a new thing."
For Morrill's full explanation, check out his post on Google+.

 

[AntimonyER]

I agree, this was included first and foremost for GPS location. Since barometric pressure is far more sensitive to altitude changes then weather changes, use as an altimeter is the most logical reason.

 

[Stigy]

Faster GPS lock is always a good thing.

 

[ylexot]

Crazy thought. I was reading a few days ago about how police use acoustical estimation to be able to determine the exact location (10m accuracy) that gunshots are being fired. Is a barometer sensitive enough to notice those pressure variations?

No. You would use a microphone for that.

 

[BiggestManEver]

I do notice that my Xoom catches my GPS location much faster than my cell, even indoors.

The Barometer must really help.

 

[whoster69]

Actually an Android engineer said it was so they could get a GPS lock more quickly by knowing the altitude.

See more here: Galaxy Nexus barometer explained, Sam Champion not out of a job -- Engadget

This doesn't mean you can't do other cool stuff with it however (like hikers using it to check how high they have hiked).

 

[IcellPhones]

Come on what else would a Bar-O-Meter be used for, but to judge the quality of your local establishments, in reference, to quality of drinks, price, clientel, food, etc... But seriously, the barometer as an example could be used to aquire more acurate weather reading within specific locations, for weather predictions, If you have a population with 1000 phones within a particular zipcode providing information you will be able to get more precise weather predictions.

 

[abraham420]

I'm pretty sure it will be mainly used as an altimeter to help with GPS lock. It couldn't really be used for crowd sourced weather prediction since most people spend their time in pressure controlled buildings and cars.

I'd be more interested in seeing what novel uses people can come up with that utilize the barometer. I think the more sensors that can be crammed into these phones the better. I love that they have GPS, compass, accelermoter, 3-axis gyroscope, and now a barometer. This is the kind of tech that only used to be mulit-million dollar warheads.