# Batphone — Acoustic Indoor Localization > Indoor acoustic localization tool using room ambience for positioning. (iPhone/iPad app by Stephen Tarzia.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/batphone/id405396715 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Stephen Tarzia](https://appshunter.io/developer/405396718) - Category: Navigation, Utilities - Price: Free - Rating: 3.30/5 from 4 App Store ratings · 6 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 8.0 · 1 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2010-11-30 - Data updated: 2026-06-05 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/batphone/id405396715/reviews.md ## What is Batphone? Batphone is a research tool which demonstrates a method determining your location within a building. It's meant to be an alternative to GPS or iBeacon, and it works by using the microphone to record room ambience. These acoustic room fingerprints are used to recognize previously-tagged rooms when they are revisited. For comparison, it also shows the position retrieved from Location Services, which determines your coordinates using radio signals from GPS satellites, wifi and cellular base stations. Our experiments have shown that Batphone's acoustic method is more accurate than the radio method. Try it for yourself and let us know what you think! Fore more details, please see the report titled "Indoor Localization without Infrastructure using the Acoustic Background Spectrum" which was presented at the 2011 MobiSys conference. ## Key features - Acoustic indoor localization - Room ambience analysis - Alternative to GPS/iBeacon - Compares with Location Services - Research tool ## Recent user reviews (6 of 6) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/batphone/id405396715/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Dude, this app is no bogus! *2013-01-11* I tested it on my mom's bedroom, and then on mine: to me, both have almost exactly identical acoustics. However, Batphone was super-easily able to tell tge difference, even in complete silence! I infinitely highly recommend it! ### 2/5 — and.... *2011-07-04* don't quite see the point of this, I thought this could be used to track other phones, location of a specific talker in your vicinity ### 5/5 — Interesting *2011-07-02* Very interesting app, wish there was a way to utilize it for the handicapped(blind, deaf). ### 4/5 — Wondering? *2011-06-27* I'm really confused? I've heard great things about it but what does it do? What is the actual function of it? Please advise. ### 3/5 — Basic Instructions would be helpful ! *2011-06-25* The fact that the app doesn't come with instructions is rediculas I'm sure it would be a very clever app if I could understand the flaming thing!!!!! ### 5/5 — It works! *2011-02-02* I was a little bit skeptical at first, but I tried it and it honestly worked... Really really impressive! ## Frequently asked questions about Batphone ### What is Batphone? Batphone is a research tool that uses your device's microphone to determine your location within a building by analyzing ambient room sounds. It aims to be a more accurate alternative to GPS and iBeacon for indoor positioning. ### How does Batphone work? Batphone records the acoustic fingerprint of a room and uses these recordings to recognize previously tagged rooms when revisited. This acoustic method is compared against traditional radio-based location services. ### Is Batphone accurate? Experiments mentioned in the app's description suggest that Batphone's acoustic method is more accurate than radio-based methods for indoor localization. ### What devices does Batphone support? Batphone is supported on iPhone and iPod devices. It was released on November 30, 2010, with the latest version being 1.4 updated on September 8, 2017. ### What is the age rating for Batphone? Batphone has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users. It is a free application with no in-app purchases or ads. ### Does Batphone require an internet connection? The description does not explicitly state whether an internet connection is required for Batphone's core functionality. However, it relies on the device's microphone for acoustic analysis. ### Can Batphone be used offline? While the description doesn't specify offline capabilities, the core function of acoustic analysis relies on the device's microphone and pre-recorded room fingerprints, suggesting potential for offline use. ### Where can I find more information about Batphone's technology? More details about Batphone's technology can be found in the report titled "Indoor Localization without Infrastructure using the Acoustic Background Spectrum," presented at the 2011 MobiSys conference. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.4 — 2017-09-08 This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon. Fixed iOS 10 compatibility issues. ### 1.3 — 2014-12-03 iOS 7 and 8 compatibility ### 1.2 — 2011-06-30 Relabelled the user interface. Combined localization now works with the cellular radio when Wi-Fi is off. Fixed several bugs. ### 1.1 — 2011-01-27 Fixed bug which sometimes caused app to hang on initial "waiting for data" screen. Improved the signal processing steps. Fingerprints are now smoother and more stable. Also, the frequency range was reduced, which improved the positioning results. ### 1.0 — 2010-11-30 No release notes. ## Apps similar to Batphone | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [The Concierge @ Lantheus](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-concierge-lantheus/id1644334126) | — | Free | Navigation | | [IPIN 2023](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipin-2023/id6466114180) | — | Free | Navigation | | [Nextome Indoor Positioning](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextome-indoor-positioning/id1165089003) | — | Free | Navigation | | [Oriient IndoorGPS](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/oriient-indoorgps/id1321805655) | 4.0 (1) | Free | Navigation | | [KWENDA](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kwenda/id1151212823) | — | Free | Navigation | | [MineAR: Augmented Reality Map](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minear-augmented-reality-map/id1412905489) | 5.0 (5) | Free | Navigation | ## More apps by Stephen Tarzia - [ClapIR Acoustics Measurement](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clapir-acoustics-measurement/id521153051) - [Badminton Footwork Trainer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/badminton-footwork-trainer/id530904252) All apps by Stephen Tarzia: https://appshunter.io/developer/405396718 ## Related topics [batphone](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/batphone) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-05.*