For me it’s the notification light you used to find on older phones, was particularly good to know if your phone was charged without picking it up

  • Kcap@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    61
    ·
    11 months ago

    I forget which Samsung galaxy model it was, maybe S6, but it had a universal IR blaster built into the phone which was super convenient for controlling all of my devices. I did however often abuse the shit out of it by flipping the channels on bar tvs or turning off the stereo receiver and nobody was ever suspecting it was me on my phone. I guess that’s probably why they removed it lol, but it was fun while it lasted.

    • UnrepententProcrastinator@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      11 months ago

      Got an IR watch in high school before universal remotes were a known enough technology. That teacher must have really hated that day. Sorry Mrs Desgagné if you’re out there.

    • JustARegularNerd@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      11 months ago

      Unsure about the S6, but my S5 (which I still have and currently use as a dashcam in a pinch if I’m not in my usual car) definitely has an IR blaster and yeah, it was so good to just flick on the TV in the living room, or notice that my parents TV was still on while they were sleeping and I’d just turn it off from my phone.

    • spookedbyroaches@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      11 months ago

      I miss that one too :(

      But I think they took it out not because of the abuse but because more TVs were being controlled by bluetooth and 2.4GHz bands instead of IR.

    • hydrospanner@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      11 months ago

      I wonder if there might not be an add on that might have an IR blaster they connects via USB-C and has an app to run it… If it was good I might consider getting one.