Rather than buying an altimeter watch to measure changes in altitude, it is possible to download an altimeter application on your smartphone. Many applications on Android or iOS display the altitude and altitude differences while hiking.
- Maps 3D PRO: Highly Accurate Altimeter for iPhone
The Maps 3D Pro application offers a very accurate altimeter with relief maps. Based on the 3D altimeter and the Earth’s relief profile, this app delivers an accurate calculation of positive and negative elevation, slope and climbing speed. It displays accurate relief maps, based on NASA’s earth surface scans and realistic 3D rendering from all perspectives.
This application for iPhone allows to download maps offline. It is perfect for traveling in areas where the signal is inaccessible. It provides excellent details useful for outdoor activities such as cycling, hiking, skiing or travelling.
- Trip Altimeter and elevation: simple altimeter
The Travel Altimeter and Elevation application offers a simple and uncluttered interface to read which allows you to quickly see the altitude or elevation as well as the Latitude and the Longitude. This free app can be downloaded on iPhone or Samsung.
Altitude is displayed on photos of beautiful landscapes that adapt to the time of day. The barometer allows you to track your changes in altitude as the pressure changes. Simply set your reference pressure and altitude to use the altimeter to view the altitude difference of two points. It is an ideal application for hiking and other outdoor activities.
- Accurate Barometer and Altimeter: barometric altimeter
The Accurate Barometer and Altimeter app is handy because it offers an accurate altimeter and also displays weather information like temperature, wind speed, visibility, and humidity.
This app available on iOS or Android provides precise information on your current altitude thanks to unique algorithms. They are based on GPS, network services and calibrated pressure sensors.
How does an altimeter app work?
Most altimeter apps use the smartphone barometer. They rely on atmospheric pressure to determine an altitude. An app with a barometric altimeter is more accurate for calculating elevations. It gives a smoother elevation profile than GPS.
A barometric altimeter is much simpler in design. It measures the difference in atmospheric pressure between its position and a reference surface. The instrument then displays the corresponding altitude assuming a standard atmosphere.
There are a few altimeter apps based on GPS coordinates. With this solution, a clever calculation is made to determine the altitude based on the coordinates and on the reference ellipsoid. The disadvantage with the GPS altimeter is the inconsistency of the measurements caused by several factors including the margin of error of the GPS system itself.
