Each smartphone can be connected to another device to expand its functionality or to be used in different ways than that of the normal mobile phone. Let's try to summarize in this article all the ways and all the external devices that can be connected to an Android phone or an iPhone (or even a Windows smartphone) using USB cables for the microUSB port and also audio cables for the audio jack of the headphones.
READ ALSO: More useful adapters for smartphones, to add functions and improve capabilities
1) Connect the PC
The most obvious and most obvious connection for a smartphone is that with the computer, which can have three different objectives.
First of all, you can connect your mobile phone to your PC, using the same charging cable (or even in Wifi) to transfer files and to backup photos or other personal files so as not to occupy them in memory space.
the iPhone can be interfaced with a PC or Mac via iTunes or even other alternative programs to iTunes that make it easier to manage the files saved on the iPhone.
An Android phone should immediately be recognized as a storage device by a Windows PC which should automatically install the drivers.
In case of difficulty or need, you can also install one of the programs to manage the Android smartphone from a PC and do various operations on the files.
Another type of connection with the PC is that which allows you to use your smartphone as a modem for your PC to surf the internet .
We have seen in other articles how to activate the hotspot on iPhone and how to activate the hotspot modem on Android.
Finally, you can also connect your smartphone to your PC to simply keep it charged .
2) External storage devices, USB sticks and external hard drives
To increase the memory of a smartphone, you can use a USB stick that can be connected directly to the micro-USB port of the phone, the one used to recharge the mobile phone.
You can use a USB stick on Android as extra OTG memory on smartphones and tablets in an ultra simple way, buying only the USB OTG cable that is found in every electronics store and on Amazon for a few Euros.
Even on an iPhone this connection is possible, although it will be necessary to format the external memory in HFS and follow some guidance on it (because personally I have never tried).
3) Chargers of different types
Chargers in recent years have certainly evolved, not so much for potential, but above all for the different ways of recharging a smartphone.
We have seen, for example, that you can use a portable battery, a solar charger or even a hand crank and that many models of Android smartphones (and even iPhones with an adapter), support wireless charging, without cables.
4) Connect the TV
Each mobile phone can be connected to the TV, either via cable with HDMI connection for the TV, or wirelessly using adapters and receivers such as the popular Chromecast.
We talked about all the ways to connect a smartphone to the TV, both Android and iPhone to project photos, videos or even games on the big screen.
Using the USB socket of the TV, you can also charge your mobile phone via cable as you would connect it to your computer.
5) Connect the printer
Connecting a printer to your smartphone is quite simple if you buy, perhaps on Amazon, a bluetooth or wireless printer compatible with your mobile phone.
The speech to print on the home printer is different, for which we have written some guides:
- 5 ways to print from iPad and iPhone to any printer
- How to print from Android on any printer
6) Stereo systems and car radios
A smartphone can be connected to any stereo system via male-male audio cable, to perhaps listen to streaming music from Youtube or Spotify on the loudspeakers of our HiFi systems.
Likewise, you can listen to cell phone music in the car on all car radios that have an input for the audio jack.
7) Connect the telephoto lens to the camera
You can buy telephoto lenses on Amazon to attach to your phone's camera to take better photos, almost like a professional camera.
There are for every type of smartphone, both Samsung, iPhone and any other Android phone.
8) Connect the keyboard
The keyboard for a smartphone may be of little use, but for an Android tablet or an iPad it works really well and manages to transform a tablet into a classic laptop.
9) Connect a Joypad
Who loves video games, can play with the smartphone using a real Joypad, transforming the mobile phone into a portable console like the Nintendo DS.
Mobile Joypads can also be found of various types on Amazon.
Searching on Google you can also find guides to connect the Playstation Joypad to an Android mobile phone.
