Evaluation of smartphone sound measurement applications ( apps ) using external microphones—A follow-up study

Abstract

This follow-up study examines the accuracy of selected smartphone sound measurement applications (apps) using external calibrated microphones. The initial study examined 192 apps on the iOS and Android platforms and found four iOS apps with mean differences of ±2 dB of a reference sound level measurement system. This study evaluated the same four apps using external microphones. The results showed measurements within ±1 dB of the reference. This study suggests that using external calibrated microphones greatly improves the overall accuracy and precision of smartphone sound measurements, and removes much of the variability and limitations associated with the built-in smartphone microphones.