Source: Photo by H_Ko/Adobe Stock
While your smartphone has temperature sensors, they do not measure the temperature of the room. Instead, these sensors perform a vital function for your phone, preventing damage to your battery and other components by detecting overheating.
To measure ambient temperature with your iPhone, you’ll need to use a separate device. An external sensor prevents the heat generated by your smartphone from affecting your temperature readings.
We’ll share and review our top remote temperature monitors, but first, let’s answer some pertinent questions you might have about iPhones and temperature sensors.
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Does the iPhone Have a Thermometer?
The iPhone has temperature sensors within it, but like other smartphones, Apple uses the sensors to monitor the battery and processor’s temperature. In extreme temperatures (hot or cold), these sensors shut the device down to prevent damage.
To successfully measure air temperature, you’d need an external sensor, as far from the internal components as possible. Hooking up an external sensor won’t disrupt the design of the phone itself.
Even if Apple did design a phone with a sensor on the phone shell, temperature readings would still not be accurate because your device radiates heat; hence, the sensor needs distance from the phone.
Is There a Room Temperature App for iPhone?
Some app developers have produced room temperature apps for the iPhone. They are still using the data from these internal temperature sensors and plugging them into an algorithm to estimate outside ambient temperature.
As you know, these temperature sensors aren’t intended for such use, and any readings the apps offer are only estimates and will have a high margin of error. We recommend that you steer clear of these types of apps and instead purchase an external temperature sensor such as a WiFi temperature monitor that can be viewed through a companion app on your smartphone for the most accurate readings.
A remote temperature monitor can connect to your phone via WiFi or Bluetooth. You can leave the sensor in a room and remotely monitor the temperature and humidity in real-time on your iPhone.
View historical data and set custom alerts for when the temperature or humidity exceeds your ideal range.
Best Devices to Measure Room Temperature With Your iPhone
There are several excellent external sensors for measuring ambient temperature with an iPhone, all of which include a companion app to monitor readings remotely. The three devices we recommend have the best reviews from our readers and are top quality.
1. Temp Stick WiFi Temperature and Humidity Sensor
The Temp Stick is, by far, one of our favorite WiFi thermometers to use with a smartphone.
It’s accurate, reliable, and the intuitive app makes it very easy to use. Powered by 2 ‘AA’ batteries, you’ll get up to a year of use without having to change the batteries.
Thanks to the WiFi connection, placement of the Temp Stick is only constrained by the range of your wireless network.
Setting up the device is a breeze, with most buyers reporting it takes them less than five minutes to install the app and connect the sensor to their WiFi network.
You can view current and historical temperature and humidity readings, set custom alerts, and change settings through the app. The Temp Stick can even store up to 100 readings in its internal memory should you lose connectivity.
Best of all, there are zero subscription fees to use the app service.
Another great feature is the capability to alert up to ten contacts when the temperature exceeds a preset threshold. This alert functionality makes it an excellent option for businesses that may sell temperature-sensitive goods.
You could also easily use it at home to notify the entire family of a potential issue, such as a fire too.
If you’re not a tech-savvy person and want a temperature sensor with “no frills”, the HT1 Smart Temperature Sensor from SensorPush is it. The setup process takes seconds, and you can set it up indoors, outdoors, around the fridge, or in your greenhouse.
Manufactured and designed with reliable hardware, the temperature sensor features a battery life of up to 2 years, and the Bluetooth coverage is truly magical. You need to connect it to the native iOS (or Android) app, and real-time updates are available directly at your fingertips.
The highlight of this temperature sensor, however, is the 24/7 monitoring and reporting. So, if you're working on a temperature-sensitive project, such as growing aeroponics or hydroponics in your greenhouse, for example, this sensor is the perfect choice.
Users can log up to 20 days of historical data through the app, enabling them to make adjustments as needed. Since the sensor is so versatile, it easily measures the temperature of any surface or area, so your options aren’t confined. Buying this, coupled with the G1 Wi-Fi Gateway, allows you to create the ideal Wi-Fi-controlled temperature sensor in your home.
If you want to get serious about temperature monitoring around your home, choose the Ambient Weather WS-8482-X3. This model can support seven sensors, including additional thermo-hygrometers, optional soil moisture, or floating water temperature sensors.
The Ambient Weather-8482-X3 is one of the most versatile remote temperature monitors on the market. This is a battery-powered device made from high-quality plastic, ensuring durability and a weatherproof nature, making it great for outdoor use.
The setup includes a WiFi-enabled base station/console with 915 MHz connectivity technology that allows you to view data without logging into an app, plus three temperature and humidity sensors. If you want to monitor multiple rooms or areas around your property, then the WS-8482-X3 is our top recommendation.
The WS-8482-X3 uploads its data to AmbientWeather.net, the company’s online web and app-based portal where you can view readings and set custom alerts. Furthermore, the sensor can record indoor temperatures from 32 to 140 °F and outdoor temperatures from -40 to 149 °F with an accuracy of ±2 °F.
The price is also very reasonable, and it offers the most value for money for those needing to track temperatures in more than one area of their home or office.
Buyer’s Guide: What to Look for
When buying an external temperature device or meter, you should consider the following:
The Quality
The device components should be made from quality materials that will last. Avoid cheap plastics, and if you live on the coast, avoid soft metal components, which will rust.
The Compatibility
While you have a particular iPhone model at the moment, you may upgrade, and the temperature device you purchase should be compatible with a wide range of phones. Alternatively, it should be upgradable too.
Maintenance
Any electronic device or measuring tool should be maintained. Ensure the temperature device is easy to clean, with minimal small components that can become grimy and are difficult to clean.
Installation
The temperature device will have specific mounting instructions. Consider how you have to mount it before you purchase one. It should be mounted to a wall in an out of the way place where it can measure ambient temperature. Freestanding models are likely to get knocked over and break.
Budget
While it’s nice to have a temperature measuring device that syncs up to your phone to give you an accurate temperature reading, it shouldn’t cost a fortune.
If the price is really high, it may be worth it to rather invest in a type of weather station, which will give you much more comprehensive readings than a simple thermometer can.
Final Thoughts
If you need to measure room temperature with your iPhone, don’t use an app.
Instead, choose any one of the external sensors on our list, as you’ll get far more accurate (and useful) readings. We found the Temp Stick to be the best model overall because it’s accurate, reliable, and easy to set up.
But if you want alternatives, both the SensorPush and the WS-8482-X3 are great too.
Why don’t iPhones come with a reliable thermometer to read room temperature?
Even if an iPhone had a built-in thermometer, this would only read the phone’s internal temperature, not the external temperature.
Other phones that have thermometers that supposedly accommodate the difference in temperature between the phone’s internal temperature and the ambient temperature of the room can only do an inaccurate prediction of the room’s temperature.
This is why having an external thermometer sensor is essential to getting correct room temperatures.
How does my iPhone show the temperature where I am if the internal thermometer is set to monitor the device’s temperature?
The iPhone, like many phones, has an internal thermometer that tells the device whether it’s overheating. However, the iPhone gets readings via GPS and location tracking from nearby weather stations.
This is why the phone can show you what the supposed outside temperature is. However, the phone can’t tell you what the indoor temperature is like without an external thermometer to take readings.